PHOTO: Stephen JaquieryOtago's economy took the hardest hit among New Zealand regions when the Covid-19 lockdown bit, economics consulting firm Infometrics says. Dunedin house prices were up 17.1% in June 2020 compared with a year earlier, outperforming Otago (up 11.9%) and New Zealand (7.5%). But house sales fell off — down 17% in Dunedin, compared with a 13.2% drop in Otago and a 6% drop nationally. However, the value of non-residential consents increased 69.7% in the city over the year to June 2020, compared with a 44.8% increase in Otago and an 8.8% decrease nationally. Total tourism spending in Dunedin dropped 17.3% in the year to June 2020, compared with a 14.8% drop regionally and a 12.3% drop across the country.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 19, 2020 16:30 UTC