Tourism New Zealand director commercial Rene de Monchy said regional lockdowns, like the one Auckland went through in August and September, puts the emphasis on local activities and attractions. The huge drop in tourism spending during Auckland's level 3 lockdown is a salutary lesson for other regions if community transmission takes off again. Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment data for September showed that tourism spending in Auckland fell by 44 per cent to $363m compared with the same period last year. Auckland moved to alert level 3 for six weeks until the fourth week of September, with the rest of the country in level 2. Seven regions enjoyed higher spending in September, with the biggest rises recorded in Northland (30 per cent), Taranaki (22 per cent), and Gisborne (21 per cent).

Source: Stuff November 05, 2020 15:56 UTC