Wanaka’s business community is working with their Queenstown counterparts to provide support and clarity for local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lake Wanaka Tourism general manager James Helmore and Ignite Wanaka (chamber of commerce) chair Pete Eastwood are working on the Southern Lakes Recovery and Response Advisory Group formed by Ignite Wanaka, Lake Wanaka Tourism, the Queenstown Lakes District Council, Destination Queenstown and the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce.

“The priority right now for both Ignite Wanaka and Lake Wanaka Tourism is getting the information, support and resources our businesses require. As part of the Southern Lakes Recovery and Response Group we have been providing regular communications to businesses, which has been really well received,’’ Pete said.

Activities included training and Q&A webinars, in conjunction with regional business partners and others, so Wanaka businesses could get the support, advice and clarity they needed. 

Participants were taking a proactive and positive approach, focusing on the long term, Pete said. 

Pete Eastwood

Online training sessions are also being offered and the organisations would explore more opportunities to do these in the coming weeks as the COVID-19 alert levels change down, he said.

“Our biggest advice for now is that businesses should look at, and plan for, the future and what this might mean for them, working closely with professionals and their teams to make sure they are in the best position. Using the alert levels as a guide and casting a hyper-local, local and domestic lens across this is a great start,’’ Pete said.

James Helmore

Ignite has offered new members a free three-month membership to June 30, to ensure all businesses can access support. Pete said around 35 new members had responded to this offer in the last ten days.

Pete said an innovative and collaborative approach over the coming weeks would be crucial to the region’s economic recovery “and we will 100 per cent be seeking input from the business community’’.

Lake Wanaka Tourism’s first members’ webinar kicks off on Thursday April 16.

PHOTOS: Supplied