Auckland remaining at alert level one is good news the Discover Auckland Travel Expo, which will go ahead ensuring people are wearing masks and scanning in with the Covid Tracer app
Photo: 123rf
After a new case of community transmission in the city was revealed yesterday, officials decided today there was no need to change alert levels.
The Discover Auckland Travel Expo has confirmed it will go ahead with 70 exhibitors at Shed 10 from 10am to 5pm tomorrow.
Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development destination manager Steve Armitage said although some may still stay away from the city centre, he expected the event to be a success.
"That wasn't lost on us at all. Clearly this summer period is a huge one for us in terms of how we can shore up support for the visitor economy, those tourism operators on the periphery of the region who've struggled over the course of the last eight to nine months," he said.
"The appetite is there and people are keen to get out and about. I do think there may be a slight impact some people are more circumspect about large crowds and certainly coming back into the city centre."
Waiheke's EcoZip Adventures manager Gavin Oliver is among those exhibiting.
"I'm really relieved. This is a great opportunity for Aucklanders to get out and engage with some tourism businesses who have been doing it quite tough over the last few months."
"We're really relying on a big December and January and there's a lot of businesses if they don't have a strong December and January they may not be able to re-open their doors in the new year, so it is a pivotal moment for us."
Armitage said the city centre's economy was estimated to have suffered a $10 million hit today as workers heeded the government's call to stay home.
"I've seen figures suggesting that the impact on the city centre economy alone would have been around $10 million. We can't sustain that type of impact too frequently. It's already had a huge impact with a number of businesses particularly on the golden mile of Queen Street having to shut up shop."
Registration for entry to the expo is free.
Auckland this weekend will also host the Diwali Festival, the Chocolate and Coffee Show, the City of Auckland Rally and Battle of Jack's Ridge; Dumplings on Dominion; the Women's Rugby Triple Header; Big Boys Toys and the Aotearoa Music Awards.