Following Government changes to Covid-19 protocols yesterday, mass gatherings are once more permitted, and one of the first events to go ahead with a crowd will be the Highlanders’ Super Rugby Pacific match against the Blues in Dunedin on Saturday.
"We are delighted. We are in the mass gathering business," Dunedin Venues Management Ltd chief executive Terry Davies said.
"We [Forsyth Barr Stadium] are an outdoor venue so it will be wonderful to have the crowds back.
"We were planning for it, but for it to happen as fast as we had hoped is brilliant."
Tickets went on sale last night and Mr Davies predicted great interest.
Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark said the ability to host fans had been a surprise and their support would be important for the team as it sought to rack up its first win of the season.
The short notice meant Mr Clark was not anticipating a full house but was expecting a good crowd.
Highlanders fan and Otago Polytechnic student Nell Watherston said she was very excited to be able to watch the team play in person, and the Zoo stand would be ready to give the players a rousing welcome.
"Especially those first year students, they will be out there in the Zoo and it will just erupt."
BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope said changes to the Omicron response were welcome progress.
Mr Hope said vaccine mandates had done their job but with the strain Omicron had put on workforces, it was time to start reintegrating workers.
"Businesses are capable of making decisions to manage the risk of Covid in their workplaces and have the tools they need to keep their staff and customers safe," he said.
Mr Hope believed the announcement should start to give people confidence in returning to normality.
Queenstown’s Smiths Craft Beer House general manager Chris Dickson said yesterday’s announcement was another confidence booster for the town.
"Hopefully, this means we are going to return to somewhat of a new normal."
After last week’s border announcement, visitors from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch had returned to Queenstown.
"It’s been really good to see and hopefully it continues," Mr Dickson said.
Destination Queenstown chairman Richard Thomas said the town was already ecstatic about the imminent return of overseas tourism and that yesterday’s announcement was the icing on the cake.
"For hospitality venues it is really good news. If you look at their margins, 100 people is really challenging and going to 200 will make a massive difference, particularly with the Aussie market coming back."
Having the changes in place well before the start of the ski season would be a major boon for both hospitality and tourism operators, Mr Thomas said.
"That was absolutely critical ... from what we are hearing in the market there is plenty of pent-up demand from people who have been locked up for two years and been unable to travel."
Key points
What the changes mean
• Traffic light settings remain. New Zealand is still at Red, but indoor gathering limits increase to 200.
• No limits on numbers at outdoor gatherings.
• Face masks not required outdoors, but encouraged.
• Requirement to use My Vaccine Pass and scan in ends April 4.
• Vaccine mandates end April 4, except for health and disability, aged care, corrections and border workforces.
• Red traffic light setting to be reviewed again April 4.
