Hospitality & Retail

Level 3 makes little difference for most operators but the increase in indoor numbers to 100 for level 2 areas is welcomed.

Indoor gatherings at alert level 2 may lift from 50 to 100 people if Auckland drops to level 3.

Almost 44% of food and beverage outlet revenues are from visitors, says Hotel Council Aotearoa.

Spending in the hospitality industry fell $235m to $646m, down 26.7% in August 2021 compared to the same month last year, according to Stats NZ.

BusinessNZ is urging consumers to support ‘mom-and-pop’ local shops that have borne the brunt of the latest lockdowns.

The continued availability of support takes into account the more difficult new operating conditions under level 2, says Jacinda Ardern.

The National Party says the government does not understand the severity of conditions under the new level 2 rules that hospitality businesses face.

The 50-person limit on indoor venues is another burden for already struggling operators, say industry groups.

Mandatory record keeping kicks in midnight Tuesday, at the same time most of the country could move to alert level 2.

The hospitality industry was in the stages of a nascent recovery in the months leading up to the current lockdown, according to Stuart Nash.

Credit defaults for accommodation and food firms are up by more than 40% in the May-July quarter compared to same period in 2019, according to the latest data report from consumer credit firm Centrix.

Hamilton & Waikato Tourism has re-launched its Mighty Local website to showcase non-essential businesses in the region and encourage people to ‘buy, eat, shop and visit local’ at alert level 3 and lower.

Many hospitality businesses will fail due to the lockdown unless the government provides targeted support, says Hospitality New Zealand.

The industry says it bears an outsize and longer-lasting portion of the fallout from lockdowns.

Wellington on a Plate has pushed pause for the next three days after the country entered Covid-19 alert level 4 lockdown.

There’s relief at seeing a plan but also acknowledgement that it won’t be a smooth path back.

Danny Meyer will be one of the keynote speakers at the inaugural New Zealand Hospitality Summit at the Trusts Arena in Auckland on 8-9 September.

Queenstown distiller Broken Heart Spirits has opened what it says is the town’s first ever boutique gin tasting room.

The eight-week suspension of the trans-Tasman travel bubble had an immediate impact on operators.

Greater number of quality finalists this year, says head judge.

International professional body the Institute of Hospitality is establishing a New Zealand branch.

A decision is expected later today on whether to extend Wellington’s alert level 2 restrictions.

New project framework developed with STAPP funding, aims to continue domestic tourism momentum.

More events and on-site accommodation are in the works.

Lessons delivered by videos ranging in length from five minutes to one hour, with certification for completed courses.

A pivot away from tourism leaves councils scrambling to reorganise their funding base, says LGNZ.

Visas commonly used for workers such as chefs or snow sport instructors will be rolled into a new catch-all visa type that requires all employers to be registered with Immigration New Zealand.

Family-friendly Gear Eatery and Bar to hold launch day on 8 May.

Hospitality New Zealand and the New Zealand Chefs Association are to host the inaugural New Zealand Hospitality Summit and trade show in September.

Australian options may increase competition for domestic tourists, says a Waikato economist.

Electronic card transaction spending for March in the hospitality sector jumped 26.1% to $1.04bn compared to the same month in 2020, according to Stats NZ.

Hospitality New Zealand says the extension of the Immigration (Covid-19 Response) Amendment Bill will be vital as borders gradually re-open.

Nationwide commercial accommodation association said it “welcomes” the Tourism Futures Taskforce interim report for sustainable future.

Hospitality NZ has welcomed the targeted support for the sector but the trans-Tasman bubble is a “vital” next step for the industry.

Concerns over the additional financial burden a doubling of sick leave will pile on fragile tourism and hospitality businesses  have led to a raft of submissions against the government’s proposed increase.

Auckland hospitality and tourism sector employers looked to staff up in the final quarter of the year after deep cuts earlier in 2020.

Hospitality New Zealand has established a formal partnership with the Tasmanian Hospitality Association to share ideas and work on mutually beneficial initiatives and projects.

Hospitality New Zealand is re-establishing the Accommodation Association New Zealand to provide the accommodation sector with a united voice as it worked through the challenges of the Covid-19 crisis.

Hospitality New Zealand has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Backpacker Youth and Adventure Tourism Association.

Spending on hotels, motels, campgrounds, and other accommodation fell to $133.4m in September 2020, down 29% on the same month last year.

Extending current Covid-19 alert level restrictions across the country could be the nail in the coffin for struggling operators, says Hospitality New Zealand.

The Government needs to provide a more targeted response for struggling hospitality operators.

The hospitality sector is paying a heavy price for the Government’s “bungling of the border”, says the National Party’s economic development spokesperson, Todd McClay.

More was spent on food and beverage but less on accommodation despite the school holidays.

New Zealand’s tourism and hospitality sector posted a surprise jump in new job listings in June, according to Trade Me.

Chef, author and restaurateur Peter Gordon is bringing to a close his long-standing relationship as signature chef at SkyCity’s The Sugar Club.

Whanganui District Council reviewed the operation of the South Beach Café at the airport and decided not to reopen the facility after it was closed by Covid-19 restrictions.

Spending on eating out and on hotels, motels, and other accommodation fell 41%, or $428m, in May, according to new figures from Stats NZ.

Tourism and hospitality operators are among more than 130 businesses that have registered for WellingtonNZ’s free innovation programme Thrive.

PM’s green-light for domestic travel from Thursday prompts wave of relief from operators, new campaign from RTOs, but warnings of the danger of further delays from TIA.