The $9 million government-funded Auckland Unlimited ‘Explore Tāmaki Makaurau’ voucher scheme is proving so successful, the program has been extended by two months to June 30 to allow greater flexibility for customers and businesses to manage bookings.
A further round of 50,000 $50 and $100 vouchers, additional to the 100,000 already allocated to Aucklanders, have now been distributed enabling them to book and enjoy a range of local activities and attractions in the Auckland region.
To date, more than 100 activity and attraction businesses in Auckland have benefitted from the program with a total of $4 million worth of vouchers used so far.
Auckland Unlimited’s Director of Investment and Industry, Pam Ford said feedback received from operators and locals has been really rewarding.
“It has stimulated bookings with activity and attraction businesses – bookings they wouldn’t have got otherwise,” she said.
“It has seen Aucklanders get out and safely enjoy experiences they perhaps wouldn’t have while we’ve been in Red Setting.
“Considering what Auckland has dealt with over the last two years with five lockdowns and the impact of all this on business revenue and Aucklanders’ ability to get out and about, we are really happy with the impact this program has had so far,” says Ford.
More than 250,000 Aucklanders, some 15 per cent of the population, originally registered for the voucher program and so far, 56,900 vouchers have been used to book experiences, and vouchers from previous draws that were not used within 14 days to book an experience are reallocated into future draws.
A fifth draw is being considered as an opportunity to allocate the balance of vouchers not yet used.
“We are working hard to see as many of these vouchers redeemed as possible, and as much of the $9 million in funding for this programme as possible end up with activity and attraction operators,” Ms Ford said.
Mike Parker-Brown is a UK-trained and qualified journalist and an award-winning travel communicator with more than 30 years experience.
Since 2002, Mike has worked as a freelance writer and PR consultant providing his services to major organisations in Australia and internationally in the tourism, aviation, hospitality, recruitment and export marketing sectors.
