8 of the best local dining spots in Waikiki
A trip to Hawaii is surely memorable but not exactly cheap. A 2023 analysis of a seven-day trip from Los Angeles to Honolulu during shoulder season for a family of four people staying at a three-star hotel can easily cost over $5,700 – including meals, transportation and activities. Where can you cut costs? Food. Most visitors who visit Hawaii opt for Honolulu, and chances are, they’re staying in Waikiki – home to over 900 lodging properties. While many hotels have great dining options, they tend to be expensive, so you probably don’t want to dine there every night. You may…
Flourishing Food Truck future on the horizon –
At high school in Wellington, Jes Howes was struggling to thrive and fast losing self-esteem. By Year 13, Howes decided it was time to move on and find a different pathway. With the encouragement of her parents, who knew she had a passion for cooking, she researched options at Whitireia and WelTec | Te Pukenga and embraced a new future. Jes quickly immersed himself in his new, hands-on, practical study in the Commercial Kitchens of the hospitality campus and qualified in bakery, cookery and hospitality management. This experience cemented her ideas about pursuing a career doing what she loved, cooking,…
Looming $160m excise tax hard to absorb says NZABC –
The year has just got more challenging for producers, hospitality businesses and consumers of beer, wines and spirits with the announcement that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is 6.7%. “The 6.7% rise in the CPI is used as a benchmark to increase the excise tax on beer, wines and spirits. The excise tax was $1.24 billion in June 2022 and is forecast to be $1.4 billion the following year[1]. This will mean an extra $160 million in new taxes which are paid by producers and ultimately consumers. In this time of rapid inflation and a cost of living crisis, extra…
Visa launches $30,000 hospitality scholarship –
Visa, supported by Visa Wellington on a Plate, has launched a new hospitality industry scholarship open to candidates across New Zealand, valued at NZD $30,000. The Visa NZ Hospitality Scholarship aims to attract and retain more young people into the industry and support them to take up hospitality as a fully-fledged career. It includes a five-day placement at a top international hospitality venue, professional development, a one-year mentorship, business training and future participation in Visa Wellington On a Plate. Visa’s Head of Marketing for Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific Natalie Lockwood said, “As a proud partner of Visa Wellington…
Ready, get set, say cheese toastie please at 185 eaters! –
Ready to titillate tastebuds around the country, the annual Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover is back for 2023 and kicking it up a gear, with a record number of toasties on offer from Kororāreka to Invercargill. A firm feature on the culinary calendar, this annual celebration of the humble toasted sandwich keeps growing, with a record 185 eateries participating for 2023 – an increase on last year’s competition which saw a massive 140,000 toasted sandwiches consumed. With this year’s competition now officially underway, toastie fans can look forward to three glorious months of sizzling sandwich goodness and some fierce competition…
$1.00 meals this weekend in Christchurch & Wellington –
A selection of popular food hotspots in Wellington and Christchurch have joined forces with DoorDash to provide a menu of items for just $1.00 each – this weekend only. “We’re excited to launch $1 meals this weekend and urge Kiwis to get behind their favorite hospitality outlets,” says Rebecca Burrows, DoorDash General Manager New Zealand, Australia and Canada. “We’ve got some amazing local eateries behind us and together we’re hoping to get their delicious food out to more Kiwis this weekend for only $1.” From Friday 14thth to Sunday April 16, there will be a rotating roster of restaurants and…
B&B operators getting ‘back in the swing’ –
Reconnecting New Zealand’s valuable Bed and Breakfast sector with the international travel trade will be the key focus of its first annual conference in three years. Industry operators are keen to reunite for the first time since 2020 at the Bed & Breakfast Association New Zealand conference, taking place at the Copthorne Oriental Bay, Wellington, on 19-21 June 2023. “The 2023 conference is about getting all geared up for the return of our international visitors. We’ve continued with domestic travelers during the pandemic but our members are excited to get back into the swing of hosting our international visitors. So…