From the first day at Alert Level Two, domestic travel restrictions were lifted across the country and an Air New Zealand flight returned to Hamilton Airport.
This marked the restart of Waikato’s visitor economy which had been decimated since international borders were closed and domestic travel was restricted. It was a positive step forward for all those involved in our visitor economy, including tourism attractions, tour operators, transport providers, accommodation, retail, hospitality, conventions and business events, major events and venues, and all our suppliers.
Prior to the shift in levels, our Restart Plan focused on the weeks during lockdown, targeting our hyper-local market (Waikato residents) with the Mighty Local campaign. We have been running local campaigns for many years previously called “Explore Your Own Backyard”. COVID-19 had pushed us to super-charge this annual campaign and accelerate it given the current situation.
Moving to Alert Level 2 kick-started our wider domestic marketing activity across the region and into our domestic ‘drive markets’ of Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki, as well as our ‘fly markets’ of Wellington and Christchurch.
A graphic overview and timeline are provided below:
We are predicting a reopening of the Trans-Tasman market within the next six months and at least 12 months to see full international flight connectivity into our long-haul markets to resume.
This may happen sooner based on how well the rest of the world manages and/or eliminates COVID-19 within their borders.
We are working with Tourism New Zealand on a new national domestic marketing campaign and the first ‘teaser’ video was released recently with the catch-cry “do something new, New Zealand?”. This campaign will evolve over the coming weeks and we will be promoting our regional proposition.
It’s been great to see so many Waikato residents starting to plan and book their domestic holidays around New Zealand. However, just remember to plan some ‘bucket-list’ activities and adventures within our own region
as well.
Many of our tourism operators and accommodation providers have reopened their doors and rolled out the welcome mat across our entire region.
Our popular destinations like Raglan, Matamata, Waitomo, Cambridge and Hamilton are seeing visitors return which is great.
However, don’t forget other awesome spots around our region such as Kawhia, Mokau, Te Kuiti, Te Aroha, Tuakau, Port Waikato, Putaruru and Pirongia.
Waikato residents make up nearly 30% of our customers across the visitor economy, so my challenge to you is to become a “Mighty Local” and make sure you explore, visit, meet, eat, shop and event locally. We need your support.
To find out more about what has reopened in our region, check out www.mightylocal.co.nz.
Hamilton & Waikato Tourism is the regional tourism organisation charged with increasing international and domestic leisure and business travellers, expenditure and stay.
The organisation is funded through a public/private partnership and covers the heartland Waikato areas of Hamilton City, Matamata-Piako, Otorohanga, South Waikato, Waikato, Waipa and Waitomo Districts.
Find out more: www.waikatonz.com
