10 Sept 2026: Seasonal work study, new inner city parking system

Media: Rotorua Daily Post

Topic: Global seasonal work study

Enquiry

I am working on a story regarding a global study that has found that Rotorua has New Zealand’s lowest everyday living costs for seasonal workers. The city’s affordability, among other factors, helped it rank fourth in the world for seasonal hospitality and party work. It placed ahead of destinations in Spain, Greece and Portugal. Researchers scored each destination on cost of living, rent affordability relative to the local minimum wage, things to do, job demand and safety.

Could I please get a response from Mayor Tania Tapsell to the following questions.

• Rotorua scored particularly well on affordability compared with other New Zealand destinations. Does that reflect your sense of how Rotorua compares with the rest of the country?
• What do you think Rotorua offers seasonal workers that other destinations can't?
• What opportunities does a ranking like this create for Rotorua? Could it help attract more visitors, working holidaymakers or seasonal workers? Help raise the city's profile internationally?
• What are you most optimistic about for Rotorua's tourism and hospitality sector over the next year?

Response

From Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell:

Rotorua scored particularly well on affordability compared with other New Zealand destinations. Does that reflect your sense of how Rotorua compares with the rest of the country?

What sets Rotorua apart is the way we welcome our manuhiri (visitors). Manaaki (showing care, respect and hospitality) is at the heart of who we are. For a city of around 78,000 people, we're proud to host around two million visitors each year, and ensuring they feel welcome is a big part of what makes Rotorua special.

Rotorua has always offered exceptional value for visitors. Whether people are here to experience our geothermal attractions, rich Māori culture, wellness experiences, or hospitality, they can enjoy a premium experience at an affordable price. That's one of the reasons Rotorua continues to be such a popular destination for both domestic and international visitors.

What do you think Rotorua offers seasonal workers that other destinations can't?

Rotorua offers a unique combination of employment opportunities and lifestyle benefits. Seasonal workers can gain valuable experience in our tourism and hospitality sector while enjoying everything our district has to offer, from our lakes, forests and mountain biking trails to our unique cultural experiences and vibrant community.

We're fortunate to have Toi Ohomai in Rotorua, with strong tourism and hospitality programmes that attract international students to live, work and learn here, helping to support a skilled and diverse workforce.

What opportunities does a ranking like this create for Rotorua? Could it help attract more visitors, working holidaymakers or seasonal workers? Help raise the city's profile internationally?

Recognition like this is a great endorsement of what Rotorua has to offer and helps reinforce our reputation as one of New Zealand's leading visitor destinations.

We're already welcoming around two million visitors each year, and rankings like this help showcase Rotorua to new audiences around the world.

What are you most optimistic about for Rotorua's tourism and hospitality sector over the next year?

I'm really optimistic about the momentum we're seeing across Rotorua's tourism and hospitality sector. We've worked hard to strengthen our reputation, grow international connections and support local businesses, and we're seeing growing interest from key visitor markets as a result.

More visitors and workers ultimately support local businesses, create jobs and contribute to a strong and sustainable visitor economy.

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Media: Local Democracy Reporter

Topic: New inner city parking system

Enquiry

Reporter had the following questions relating to the new inner city parking system and the survey council is currently conducting to help inform the upcoming six-months review of the system:

• Why is council seeking feedback on the new parking system at this stage?
• How will the feedback be used as part of the six-month review process?
• Has the reaction to the parking changes been broadly positive, negative, or mixed?
• What message would council have for people who remain frustrated by the changes?
• Some businesses say the public wasn't fully aware of the extent of the parking changes before they were introduced. Does council accept that criticism? Why or why not?
• Some businesses have claimed the parking changes contributed to their decision to relocate or close, describing them as "the final nail in the coffin". What is council's response to those claims?

Response

From Group Manager - Destination Development, Jean-Paul Gaston:

Council recognises the pressures many businesses and whānau are facing in the current economic environment, and we are listening carefully to feedback from residents, businesses and the wider community. When the decision was made to not extend the previous provider’s contract and to bring parking services back in house, it was an opportunity for council to establish a system that increased reliability, monitoring efficiencies and payment options while also offering accessible and affordable options for the community.

We want to understand how people are adapting to the new parking system, what is working well and where adjustments may be needed. We’ve always said that this is a starting point and once there had been enough time for the community to get familiar with the new system we would be open to considering appropriate improvements or adjustments. Feedback gathered through the Participate survey will set a data baseline that will help inform council’s full six-month review.

Feedback to date has been mixed as expected. Many people have shared positive experiences while others are still taking time to understand and adapt to the changes. Any new system can take time to adjust to. Analysis from this survey will help determine what we’ve got right or exactly where community concerns or confusion lies. We encourage anyone with concerns or suggestions to take part in the survey so council can better understand impacts and opportunities.

Council widely promoted the changes before they were introduced. More than 1000 parking booklets were delivered to inner city businesses in June, parking posts on social media were viewed more than 120,000 times in the week before 1 July and more than 900 people signed up early for permits. We will continue to share information as the system settles in and work to ensure it supports inner city businesses as well as the wider community.

Further information:

• Casual parking fees for visits under 3 hours have not changed from the previous system.

• Paying for casual parking with a debit/credit card is actually cheaper now due to the removal of surcharges.

• If workers are choosing to park in a permit area vs the previous Green Zone parking ($2/hr) the cost per day has reduced from $16 to just over $2.

• Council has simplified parking areas in the central CBD, reducing the previous four zones down to two.

• New virtual meters enable people to pay using their smartphone without having to set up any account or automatic top ups.

• The new meters are used in many other locations in NZ with 3500 meters across the country (79 in Rotorua) so it’s likely the technology will be familiar to domestic visitors and even tourists who may have encountered them before arriving in Rotorua.

• There are between 360,000 and 400,000 PayStay app users in NZ.

• Anyone requiring parking assistance will now be connected with a local team member rather than an external service provider.

Further question for the reporter:

We have not heard from any specific businesses in regards to parking changes leading to a decision to close. As Greg asked yesterday, if you can provide specifics we can consider your question further.