24th February 2023 By Contributor
The rain keeps coming but tourism’s economic contribution will be invaluable to the region as it recovers from Cyclone Gabrielle, writes Hawke’s Bay Tourism chief executive Hamish Saxton.
Hawke’s Bay’s tourism industry is in recovery mode once more.
After three years of riding the Covid-19 rollercoaster, our visitor economy has yet another hurdle to clear; a task that will be easier for some than others.
The impact of Cyclone Gabrielle on our expansive region has been varied.
While areas of Hawke’s Bay are not accessible, the vast majority of tourism and hospitality operators – as many as 82% – have been incredibly fortunate to avoid damage. Many are already operating as usual and will value the support as the wider region turns from response to recovery.
Our key message is to plan ahead and check.
The state of play is constantly changing both within Hawke’s Bay and outside, as to what is open and operating, so we urge visitors with a reservation or plans to visit, to check with accommodation providers and experience operators about their current operating capacity.
Getting to Te Matau-a-Māui by air remains easy, with Hawke’s Bay Airport operational and receiving daily flights from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and now Tairāwhiti.
Travel by road however, is more complicated. State Highway 5, between Taupō and Napier, and State Highway 2, between Wairoa and Tangoio (north of Napier), are closed due to extensive damage.
Waka Kotahi has assured us that restoring these key connector routes is a priority for them, however their estimate (as reported by media) is it will be approximately four weeks before the first, State Highway 5, opens.
The paradox is that even now visitors can drive to Hawke’s Bay without feeling the direct impact of Cyclone Gabrielle. If you’re travelling north to Hawke’s Bay for business, leisure or to visit family and friends, you can still spend a weekend exploring many of our vineyards, boutique shopping, local experiences and restaurants.
Hawke’s Bay’s visitor economy is the third largest industry contributor to regional GDP (after processing/manufacturing and agriculture) and is estimated to represent 9-10% of the total employment in the region. Tourism recovery can also occur relatively swiftly with the likes of events and business events, such as conferences.
The industry will, therefore, play an important role in the recovery, bringing money into the economy, and supporting jobs, businesses and vibrancy, including both Hastings and Napier CBDs. The economic injection that tourism can bring will be valuable as our agriculture, horticulture, viticulture and farms recover from the damage wrought by Gabrielle.
Understandably, market forces including key road closures, will persuade some travellers to change their plans and no longer visit Hawke’s Bay. In these instances, local operators have been encouraged to be understanding.
However, when the time is right, we look forward to welcoming visitors back to the entirety of our region – from Wairoa in the north to Pōrangahau in the south.
Hawke’s Bay Tourism has also created a Q&A guide for trade and visitors about what to expect when travelling to the region. It can be accessed here.
