Waiheke’s eateries, gift shops and vineyards were heaving last weekend, and the first-ever On The House event was deemed a success. Organisers say the innovative project, which was set up to bolster the island’s diminished tourism industry following the advent of Covid-19, will, hopefully, expand to other hard-hit destinations.
Over the weekend, more than 300 people descended on the island booking out 77 holiday homes, the rental fees from which were then converted into “Waiheke dollars”, giving holiday home owners a chance to show their support for the community.
“It was brilliant for the people who came to stay, they really appreciated it. One group just didn’t know where to spend their Waiheke dollars, they were overwhelmed with options and just ended up spending it all at Wild On Waiheke.”
Dyan says the other group of guests had a long list of places they wanted to visit and traversed the island. The lodge owner says the one negative for some accommodation providers was that media coverage leading up to the event featured headlines indicating that Waiheke was “sold-out” or “fully booked”. She says, although the On The House promo sold out, there were still many accommodation options available.
Full story in this week’s Gulf News… Out Now!!!
