ATEED moves to support coronavirus-hit businesses

14th April 2020 By Staff Reporter | news@tourismticker.com | @tourismticker

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development has scaled up capacity in its Business & Innovation Advisor team as it looks to connect its members with Covid-19 business support measure.

The move comes after a survey conducted by the agency found that financial and cashflow management advice and business strategy and planning were the top types of support Auckland businesses wanted as the response to Covid-19 ramped up.

Increased digital marketing and social media capability and help targeting new markets, with a focus on local and domestic customers, were also high on the list.

The agency conducted the survey between 11-30 March, which resulted in close to 1000 responses during the period which spanned the announcement of travel restrictions to Level 4 lockdown.

ATEED said that it has “used insights gained from the survey to shape the business support it is providing, to ensure it is delivering information and resources local businesses want right now.”

The economic development agency added that it will be looking at a “range of initiatives for the future”, but with all businesses now shut apart from essential services, “its priority is to help businesses connect to the Government’s Covid-19 response package and other available support.”

Steve Armitage

An update from ATEED’s general manager destination, Steve Armitage, added that in recent weeks the agency has “started to turn our attention to the steps we will need to take to re-establish and re-imagine our visitor economy” which has resulted in the development of a five-stage framework that will feed into a Destination AKL Recovery Plan.

Armitage said: “Drawing on the strong foundations of the Destination AKL 2025 strategy we have developed a framework that will eventually inform an overarching Destination AKL Recovery Plan.

“The framework outlines a phased approach that takes into account the ‘new normal’, requiring us to think differently about how we sustainably rebuild a more resilient industry.

“Although the government’s Covid-19 alert system and Ministry of Health guidelines will determine recovery phases and timeframes, the framework identifies five-stages we can work through to systematically rebuild our visitor economy.

“I propose to share the framework with you as soon as possible,” he added.

Armitage also confirmed that it will postpone its winter festival, Elemental AKL, which was due to take place from 15 July-2 August. It is now aiming to deliver the event later in the year but confirmation of dates will depend on how the current situation develops.

This decision follows recent postponements and cancellations for events such as Pasifika and the World Surf League at Piha, although Armitage added that ATEED remained “optimistic that next year – Auckland’s largest (planned) year of major events – still presents significant opportunities to shine the spotlight on our region as a visitor destination”.