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New Zealand Air Line Pilots Association - Latest News [Page 1]
President McKeen said the most important thing was to avoid speculation about the cause or causes of the accident and allow the investigation process to take its course. Conclusions and safety recommendations will be identified by the appropriate investigative ... More >>
Mandatory Border Worker Vaccinations Not 'Silver Bullet' Says Pilots
Monday, 12 July 2021, 3:17 pm | New Zealand Air Line Pilots Association
The New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association (NZALPA) says today's announcement that all border workers, not just those who work for the government, must receive the Covid-19 vaccine will likely make little difference without also accelerating ... More >>
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Otago Daily Times
5 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Tourist season extending
Wānaka's shoulder season is shrinking, as visitor numbers hold steady 12 months a year, according to visitor data. The region's rapid tourism growth is undeniable and, in addition to its growth, Wānaka is experiencing a gradual shift in its peak days too. Many outside the region regard the town as a winter destination, but operators say summer has risen in popularity and visitors are now making the most of off-peak seasons as well. Destination Queenstown chief executive Matt Woods said Wānaka had been seeing steady tourism from about mid-June through till mid-April, making the shoulder season next to non-existent. Last year and this year, the twilight zone was between December and March, during which there were about 94,000 to 140,000 commercial guest stays. The rest of last year had stable numbers ranging from about 53,000 to 70,000 guests per month, except for May and June with just over 35,000 guests each. Hospitality businesses in Wānaka have felt the impact of this shift. Te Wānaka Lodge co-owner Mandy Enoka said in the 17 years she had been in the industry, summer was a busy season, but it had grown over the years. "We've had a really busy market. I think summer has extended slowly," she said. " ... So we're now busy from November through until, like, the first of May." Before Covid-19, the summer season would run from mid-December to mid-March, she estimated. As the very peak of the summer season was at Christmas and New Year, some visitors were pushing their check-in dates in order to skip the high prices, Ms Enoka said. However, the winter season was not experiencing the same visitor increase that the summer was. While occupancy rates for the lodge used to be roughly 85% during the July school holidays, they were now sitting at 60%, and one of the most significant contributors was the late snowfall, she said. "I think they're not necessarily wanting to commit to travelling to Wānaka when potentially the snow isn't as good." Archway Motels and Chalets manager Mark Hamilton also said the summer had been a busy time, particularly with events such as Warbirds over Wānaka and Wheels at Wānaka. The high number of visitors made Mr Hamilton feel the town could not handle the tourism industry it had been bolstering. "Summer is definitely crazy. I mean, Wānaka has always been popular and now we have the R&A concert in the valley, which adds to the nightmare. "It's like, Wānaka's really struggling, capacity-wise, which pushes your prices up, of course ... The shoulder season really hasn't eventuated," he said. The winter saw fewer visitors who stayed longer, whereas the summer had more people coming for shorter periods. Deputy mayor Quentin Smith said the growing peak seasons had become something to seriously consider when looking at future development. "It's really hard to manage the infrastructure for the peaks, depending on who's riding, electricity, sewage, all of the above," he said. Building more infrastructure was only one part of the solution. The focus also had to be on regenerative tourism, where sustainability was encouraged. Mr Woods shared a similar opinion, pointing out that high visitor numbers needed to be considered hand in hand with resident population growth. The demand projection from the Queenstown Lakes District Council, released in May of this year, showed the projected resident population in 2025 was 54,440, with visitor numbers on peak days averaging 68,050 people. Looking ahead to 2035, the resident population was projected to hit 69,405 in the district and visitors on peak day to be 86,756. Mr Woods said the growth in resident and visitor numbers meant it was necessary to look at adding more infrastructure that could be used by all those living in or visiting the district. It was also important to look at the regenerative tourism strategy in the destination management plan, which aimed to make tourism sustainable for everyone in the region, he said.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Customer service manager's focus
New Ascot Hotel executive manager Oytun Cevik at the hotel. PHOTO: TONI MCDONALD Ascot Hotel's new executive manager Oytun Cevik is no stranger to making beds or carrying luggage. However, the industry was much more than making beds, he said. Developing a great customer experience should be the industry's end goal. "You have to put yourself in the guest's shoes." Being greeted with a smile and staff building a rapport with customers as soon as they walked through the door was key. The diversity of hospitality required flexibility to its demands, Mr Cevik said. Besides the nation's attractive scenery, he believed New Zealand had a unique hospitality culture that was attractive to international visitors. "I think Kiwi hospitality is something that you really need to come and experience ... It's definitely down to earth. Friendliness and welcoming, that's what brings people back." Capturing repeat business was core to the industry's survival, he said. After graduating in Turkey with honours in tourism and management, he moved to the United States to work in the housekeeping department at the 1415ha, 300-room Chateau Elan Winery and Resort in Georgia. His New Zealand industry experience started in Queenstown where he met his future wife, Southland-born Emma. Industry doors continued to open to the couple and their two daughters, Ruby, 9, and Scarlet, 12 — offering new opportunities on the hospitality management ladder which led to his Ascot Park Hotel executive manager role. He always believed a move back to the South Island would be part of their future where they would be closer to family, he said. He had done the hard yards in housekeeping, front office, food and beverage service and accounts. "You don't become a GM [general manager] for a hotel overnight — you have to start from scratch." While he was no micro-manager, he was still happy to pitch in and make beds and clean bathrooms if it was required. 'Being a GM is not something that you always do from behind the desk. You have to be really ready with multiple hats throughout the day ... you have to be really flexible with what you do around the hotel. "It's hospitality — wherever it's required, you need to step in and do it with the team." Meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds was a part of the industry he particularly enjoyed. "It's embedded into Ascot Hotel ... that's what I love about coming to work every day and sharing things with my team and what they're achieving every day." Invercargill Licensing Trust (ILT) chief executive Chris Ramsay said Mr Cevik's record of success across all his previous positions had the ILT executive team excited for the future of the Ascot Park Hotel. The role was a highly contested position which attracted international interest from a range of highly skilled and experienced hotel managers, he said. "Oytun stood out throughout the process, having built a career in hotels that started in America at the Chateau Elan Winery and Resort Atlanta and has included major hotel brands across New Zealand." - By Toni McDonald
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
'Quite a bump': Rotorua lures more Auckland visitors
Tourist photograph the Tourism Rotorua building. Photo: Andrew Warner Rotorua is experiencing a surge in domestic tourism, with new figures showing an increase in visitor numbers, spending and accommodation occupancy. Local leaders say the boost reflects growing confidence in the city as a destination, following years of disruption from Covid-19 and emergency housing . Figures via RotoruaNZ, the council-controlled tourism organisation, showed an uptick in Kiwis heading to Rotorua for a holiday. "I've received lots of great feedback from locals who have appreciated the boost in business and also seeing Rotorua thrive again," said Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell. The mayor praised the 'Robe Trip' marketing campaign, which was aimed at highlighting Rotorua's standing as a destination for luxury and relaxation. The campaign ran over six weeks in February and March across multiple media, including a television ad featuring Tapsell. According to figures the council released to the Taxpayers' Union in March, the ad cost just under $94,000 to produce and broadcast. RotoruaNZ chief executive Andrew Wilson said they were very pleased with the results of the Robe Trip campaign. About three-quarters (73 percent) of Aucklanders surveyed would consider Rotorua for a holiday or breakaway after the campaign, up from 34 percent pre-campaign. "This was a bold and deliberate move to reposition Rotorua in the minds of New Zealanders - especially young and mid-life Auckland couples - as a destination for luxury, relaxation and indulgence." RotoruaNZ chief executive Andrew Wilson. Photo: Andrew Warner Over the course of the campaign, there was a 9.4 percent increase in visitor spend by Aucklanders in the city and a 5 percent year-on-year rise in hotel occupancy. In comparison, there were 1.4 percent and 4.4 percent decreases respectively across the nation. Spending by domestic visitors from across the whole of New Zealand, not just Auckland, went up 14.3 percent year-on-year in Rotorua in May - compared to a 0.1 percent drop nationally. In addition, 76 percent of New Zealanders surveyed rated Rotorua as appealing to visit, with 35 percent intending to do so in the next 12 months. Traditionally, Rotorua's heritage has marked it as the birthplace of Kiwi tourism, but it had also grown into a mecca for adventure seekers, Wilson said. "The push towards luxury and relaxation is not about abandoning our adventure roots. "It's about expanding our narrative. Rotorua has always been a place of restoration and manaakitanga [hospitality]. We're simply reminding Kiwis of that in a fresh, relatable way," Wilson said. Rotorua Canopy Tours general manager Paul Button. Photo: Andrew Warner The recent rise in domestic tourism has also been noticed by those in the industry. Rotorua Canopy Tours general manager Paul Button said he has seen an improvement domestically compared to 12 months ago. Last year, the country was in the grip of the cost-of-living crisis as households tightened budgets and went without getaways, he said. "I don't think there's one silver bullet," said Button. "Last year, domestically, it fell off. We had an abrupt drop in May and our research suggested it was economy-related. "It's definitely still tough out there and I am not going to pretend it's not but interest rates have dropped and things might be getting better." Button said Rotorua's desirability had also returned. The pandemic had a major impact on the city, while the subsequent period of emergency housing compounded the city's tourism struggles, he said. Emergency housing motels in Rotorua are being wound down by the government, with a plan to stop contracting motels by the end of 2025 . Hennessey's Bar owner Reg Hennessey. Photo: Andrew Warner "A lot less use of motels for social housing has really helped," said Reg Hennessey, owner of the locally famous Hennessey's Irish Bar on Tutanekai St. "This school holiday was good and domestic tourism has definitely picked up, it's taken quite a bump this year. "Now we are just getting the good word back out to New Zealand that it's a safe town and people can always feel safe here because of the way it's operated." Tapsell also highlighted new efforts to attract more international visitors, as Rotorua Lakes Council funded promotion through an economic development rate on short-term accommodation providers. "Tourism and hospitality contribute significantly to jobs in Rotorua," she said. "Attracting visitors can be very competitive, not just to get them to our district, but also to our country. It's important that we don't get complacent, so we've put a lot of effort and smart investment into unique initiatives to promote Rotorua." She said the council was excited to continue to see the results of this. - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
