Far North welcome for Easter visitors

Easter is often a busy time for the Far North as holiday makers make the most of warmer weather before winter temperatures take hold. This year, many Kiwis took time off between Easter Monday and the upcoming ANZAC Day long weekend to create a bumper 11-day autumn break. This saw busy roads on Good Friday and Saturday with traffic heading north, many towing boats and caravans or with surfboards and canoes strapped to the roof. This break has been the first opportunity many people have had in over a year to head to the batch or visit whanau without the constant fear and uncertainty of COVID-19. While the pandemic is not yet over, the Government’s announcement last week that the entire country would move to the less restrictive Orange traffic light setting was a strong signal that the peak of the pandemic has now passed. Infection rates across the country are trending down and fewer restrictions recognise that. Under the Orange setting, there are no limits on the number of people who can be at cafes, bars, restaurants and nightclubs, either indoors or outdoors, and you no longer have to be seated to be served. The announcement was great news for our tourism and hospitality sectors.

Our region has spent longer under the Red traffic light setting than anywhere else in the country and that has hit the Far North’s hospitality and tourism sectors particularly hard. A report presented to the council by economic consultants and forecasters, Infometrics, underlines this. The company says tourism expenditure has fallen in the Far North compared to the same time last year. That expenditure rose slightly for the rest of the country. Comparing employment trends over the past two years, Infometrics confirms that the Far North has lost jobs in accommodation and food, manufacturing, and arts and recreation. However, there is also positive economic news for Northland and the Far North. Overall, job adverts are up in Northland compared to pre-pandemic levels and are ahead of figures recorded for the rest of New Zealand. While some Far North service industries have contracted, employment in other industries has grown over the past two years. That is particularly evident in our construction and health sectors. This is supported by other economic indicators. Infometrics reports a sharp climb over the past year in residential and non-residential consents, and in car registrations and commercial vehicle registrations. 

While it’s too early yet to get an accurate count on visitor numbers over the Easter and ANZAC Day long weekend, anecdotal evidence suggests our district is still a favourite destination for friends and whanau visiting from Auckland and elsewhere. Our boat ramps were busy, holiday homes were booked, and camp grounds were popular. Without doubt, the blast of severe weather we experienced at the tail end of the Easter break has persuaded some to return home early. I hope others will stay on to enjoy improving weather forecast for the ANZAC Day long weekend. Our cafes, restaurants and bars will be sure to show them a warm welcome.