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2000 MIQ rooms empty a day, Kiwis struggle to book a place
(Photo / Supplied)
By Katie Todd of RNZ
Almost 2000 managed isolation rooms sit empty each day, while New Zealanders trying to get home say they are struggling with an ongoing lack of vouchers.
Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has been releasing vouchers in batches, but high demand has seen them snapped up in minutes, and there are no rooms showing as available for the next four months.
Meanwhile, the number of rooms intentionally left empty as contingency increased from 400 to 900 at the opening of the transtasman bubble, while about 200 are unavailable because of hotel maintenance at the Grand Mercure and Grand Millennium.
2000 MIQ rooms empty each day as NZers struggle to secure a place
2000 MIQ rooms empty each day as NZers struggle to secure a place Saturday, July 3, 2021 Katie Todd, RNZ
Almost 2000 managed isolation rooms sit empty each day, while New Zealanders trying to get home say they are struggling with an ongoing lack of vouchers.
Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has been releasing vouchers in batches, but high demand has seen them snapped up in minutes, with no rooms showing as available for the next four months.
Meanwhile the number of rooms intentionally left empty as contingency increased from 400 to 900 at the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble, while about 200 are unavailable because of hotel maintenance at the Grand Mercure and Grand Millennium.
Almost 2000 MIQ rooms empty as Kiwis struggle to secure places tvnz.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tvnz.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
“It s definitely put up the cost of opening on that day and if you want to avoid those costs you will have to close, which means you ll be missing out on revenue. “I guess the hope in the retail community is that customers do get out and shop while they ve got the opportunity to have another day off.”
RNZ
Put June 24 in your diary for next year. it will mark the first Matariki public holiday. About 10 per cent of retailers in a recent survey had indicated they were celebrating Matariki in-store this year, although Harford expected it to be much more promoted next year.