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Auckland’s hospitality and accommodation have provided an update that showed sectors experienced a dynamic 12 months, marked by both challenges and a rebound in international tourism.
Hospitality New Zealand’s Auckland branch president Jamie Freeman highlighted that, despite the post-pandemic boost in tourism, the industry continues to face rising operational costs, labor shortages, and increasing safety concerns in the central business district.
“The rise of crime and disorder in the central city has been a major issue, especially the perception of safety for Aucklanders,” says Jamie.
“Hospitality NZ has been proactive in engaging local government and forming partnerships with police, health, and licensing bodies to address these concerns.”
Accommodation providers, meanwhile, have seen the addition of 4500 beds in Auckland, but the lack of adequate destination marketing funding from Auckland Council remains a challenge.
Jamie says there is the need for better financial strategies. “We are working hard on advocacy to ensure the new Tourism and Hospitality Minister understands the importance of getting this right.”
Looking ahead, Jamie emphasises the importance of quality, service, and collaboration within the industry.
“By prioritizing these aspects, we can expect to reap both short-term and long-term benefits.”
“The focus will be on strengthening industry membership and uniting voices to better communicate the sector’s needs.
“Over and above, working together across the sector has shown to bring results; however, we need to get better at this and communicate what we want as a sector with a unified voice.”
