Visitors return to Mackenzie
Tourist hotspots in the Mackenzie have welcomed the return of trade on the first long weekend since lockdown.
Car parks were full, retail outlets bustling, and roads busy as domestic holidaymakers converged on the district.
Lake Tekapo Motels and Holiday Park on the banks of the lake was fully booked for the weekend, as was the Godley Hotel in the township.
Holiday park general manager Andrea Cox said the operation had welcomed the return of guests.
‘‘It’s been busy on weekends and weekdays since we went to level 2, we are fully booked out this weekend.
‘‘There have been more domestic visitors, we are really glad to have guests back and have Kiwis here,’’ she said.
Godley Hotel operations manager Katharina Riedel said the 58-room operation was fully booked after reopening on the weekend. ‘‘We are happy to see people in town this weekend, it has certainly helped.
‘‘We are working hard to get tourism going again, it’s really hard to predict the future.’’
Kiwi Treasures store owner Gail Stewart said her customers were now 99 per cent New Zealanders. ‘‘There have been a lot of new faces this weekend from Timaru, Dunedin and Christchurch. ‘‘People are remaining positive and in Tekapo we are trying to support one another.’’
On the shores of Lake Tekapo, holidaymakers were also making the most of the fine weather.
The Roy family, of Christchurch and Wanaka, gathered in Lake Tekapo for the first time since lockdown.
The family often holiday at the lake and welcomed the opportunity to get back to the district.
Pip Roy said fine weather had attracted a lot of people to the town over the weekend.
‘‘It’s nice for the family to be back together again, there is a lot of people around, and it’s good to see them out and about supporting the locals.’’
Mt Cook Alpine Salmon retail manager Karen Morgan said it had been a busy weekend, with 95 per cent of sales now being domestic. ‘‘We had about 60 per cent of business here being international and 40 per cent domestic prior to lockdown.
‘‘We are seeing a lot more Kiwi faces, a lot of people have obviously wanted to get out and about after so long.
‘‘There are still international visitors coming and we are also seeing international people on working visas who are coming from Christchurch and Queenstown.’’
In Twizel, information centre customer services officer Lynsey Crichton said the majority of enquiries had come from Kiwis.
‘‘There’s more Kiwis than usual, there’s definitely a lot more local focus.’’
Crichton said accommodation heavily booked in the township.
‘‘There is a lot of excitement, a lot of operators have been offering discounts for activities.’’
At Jake’s Hardware store in the township, owner Jake Preston-Marshall said people were glad to get out and about again and catch up with projects.
Katharina Riedel Godley Hotel operations manager
‘‘We are working hard to get tourism going again ...’’
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