Easter trading benefit for tourism industry

Easter trading benefit for tourism industry

Liberalising the Easter trading legislation will benefit the tourism industry and local economies, the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) says.

TIA has been calling for Easter trading to be permitted, to better serve both domestic and international travellers, for several years.

Changing the law will help the tourism industry achieve its Tourism 2025 goal of almost doubling its contribution to New Zealand’s economy, TIA Chief Executive Chris Roberts says.

“International and domestic travellers expect shops to be open during significant holiday periods and it does not reflect well on the visitor experience if shops are closed. To reach our Tourism 2025 goal, we want to offer visitors every opportunity to open their wallets.”

Tourism activity is no longer limited to the traditional regions. The availability of services for visitors, including the ability for shops to open over the Easter period, would support many regions’ economic development, Mr Roberts says.

Individual retailers should still be able to decide whether they open on Easter Sunday and there should be no compulsion on workers to work that day, he says.

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