Traveling to Hawke’s Bay
Advice From : Hawke’s Bay Tourism – Hawke’s Bay – New Zealand
Q. Can I travel to the Hawke’s Bay region?
Parts of Hastings District and Central Hawke’s Bay, and some operators in Napier, remain operational for business, but we encourage all potential travelers, including those keen to check on family and friends, to book ahead and/or contact accommodation providers and experience operators to confirm current operating conditions.
Hawke’s Bay Airport is fully operational, however restrictions and road closures apply. Please check Waka Kotahi for the most up-to-date information on the roading network. Air New Zealand has introduced a temporary service between Gisborne and Napier airports.
Hawke’s Bay’s Visitor Economy is the third largest contributor to regional GDP, and is estimated to represent 9-10% of the total employment in the region. It will, therefore, play an important role in the recovery, bringing money into the economy, and supporting jobs and businesses, including both Hastings and Napier CBDs.
We look forward to welcoming visitors back to the entirety of our region – from Wairoa in the north to Pōrangahau in the south – when the time is right.
Q. Is it safe to visit the Hawke’s Bay region?
Civil Defense has declared an emergency in Wairoa, Napier, Hastings and Central Hawke’s Bay, and some areas in these districts remain without power or reliable communications.
Some roads in and around the region remain closed, while others are designated for essential/critical workers only. Please check Waka Kotahi for further information and follow instructions, including when essential travel-only applies. Areas impacted by flooding may be contaminated by silt, which contains contaminants that could be harmful.
However, parts of Hawke’s Bay remain safe and operational for business. We encourage potential travelers, including those keen to check in on family and friends, to book ahead and/or contact your accommodation providers and experience operators to confirm current operating conditions before departing for Hawke’s Bay.
Q. How can I get to Hawke’s Bay?
Hawke’s Bay Airport is fully operational and Air New Zealand is flying to Hawke’s Bay from Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch daily.
A number of roads in and around the region remain closed, including both State Highway 2, between Napier and Gisborne, and State Highway 5, between Napier and Taupo. For full roading updates, please visit Waka Kotahi.
Please be aware that some roads are for essential/critical travel and workers only. Please ensure you take your time and allow for variations.
Q. When should I plan to visit Hawke’s Bay?
Parts of the region are open for business now, so if you do have a reservation or have plans to visit, please check with your accommodation providers and experience operators. The operators who can safely open will value your support.
While Civil Defense has declared an emergency in place for the full region, the situation on the ground is changing rapidly, so please return here for updates.
If you would prefer to postpone your visit to Hawke’s Bay, mid-late Autumn is beautiful, and June is a fantastic time to visit with Winter FAWC! Food and Wine Classic running throughout the month.
Q. How many tourism operators have been impacted by the flooding?
Hawke’s Bay Tourism is conducting a detailed audit of operators, with an emphasis on who is operating as normal.
Many businesses are getting back to business, with more coming online every day. We recommend you reach out directly to your accommodation and experience providers for updates.
Q. Is accommodation available or is it being used for emergency accommodation?
Parts of the region, including accommodation providers, are now open to visitors.
However, there is an increased demand for accommodation in Hawke’s Bay at the moment so we recommend visitors book ahead, ensuring operators can be prepared for your arrival.
Please be aware, some accommodation providers may be prioritizing displaced residents and/or essential workers.
Q. I have booked a holiday in Hawke’s Bay in the next few weeks. Should I cancel?
Parts of Hawke’s Bay remain open for business, but we encourage potential travelers, including those keen to check in on family and friends, to book ahead and/or confirm with accommodation providers and experience operators. Businesses who can operate safely will value your support.
For those visitors who made arrangements not to visit, we look forward to welcoming you when the time is right. Your support will play an important part in Hawke’s Bay’s recovery, bringing money into the economy, supporting jobs and businesses.
Q. I want to cancel my trip – will I get my money back?
We recommend you check with your travel agent or review the cancellation policies of each individual provider. We encourage you to check insurance policies as well.
Q. What is happening with Cruise?
Napier Port in agreement with Napier City Council advised that cruise ship calls would not call into Napier for the week ending Sunday 26th February 2023. The decision will be reviewed on an ongoing basis with other stakeholders.
Q. What is Tourism doing to support the response and recovery?
Many businesses that play key roles within the Hawke’s Bay Visitor Economy are working hard to support fellow businesses hardest hit and those helping with the immediate response.
Hospitality businesses are delivering meals to affected communities and volunteers, while others are contributing both financially and with time and energy to the clean-up. Industry peers in other regions, including Wairarapa and Auckland, have created fundraising opportunities to contribute financially to the region’s recovery.
Q. What support do Hawke’s Bay Visitor Economy businesses need right now?
After three years of dealing with the ups and downs of the Covid pandemic, the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle, during what ought to be one of our busiest months, will be significant.
Businesses that cannot trade or have had business severely affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and/or the subsequent impacts, may need financial support to get through. Hawke’s Bay Tourism is working to advocate on their behalf
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A spoonful of olive oil in your coffee? –
Starbucks has launched an ‘innovative’ range of coffee beverages infused with extra virgin olive oil across its Italian stores.
Interim CEO Howard Schultz said the Oleato – meaning ‘with oil’ – range of beverages represents the ‘next revolution in coffee’ that brings together an ‘alchemy of nature’s finest ingredients’.
Starbucks cited an Italian family tradition of consuming a spoonful of extra virgin olive oil each day as an uplifting ritual as the inspiration for the concept and has partnered with premium Sicily-based olive oil brand Partanna for the product launch.
Three products — Oleato Caffè Latte, Oleato Iced Shaken Espresso and Oleato Golden Foam Cold Brew — have launched across Starbucks’ 22 stores in Italy, while two additional beverages — an Oleato Iced Cortado and Oleato Deconstructed — have debuted at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan .
The Seattle-based coffee chain will then introduce the beverage in select markets globally, starting with Southern California in the US this spring before expanding to Japan, the Middle East and the UK before the end of the year.
Customers will also be able to request a press – the equivalent to a spoonful – of Partanna extra virgin olive oil as a customization to select beverages, such as espresso beverages and tea lattes.
“Oleato represents the next revolution in coffee that brings together an alchemy of nature’s finest ingredients – Starbucks arabica coffee beans and Partanna cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. Today I feel just as inspired as I did 40 years ago, Oleato has opened our eyes to fresh new possibilities and a transformational way to enjoy our daily coffee,” said Schultz.
Starbucks entered the Italian market in 2018 with a Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan. In September 2021, the coffee chain announced it would reach 37 stores by the end of 2023, including 12 new outlets this year.
In September 2022 Starbucks opened its first store in Verona, the city which inspired the Starbucks concept in 1983, in partnership with its Italian licensee Percassi.
McPlant nuggets premiere in Germany –
The world’s first plant-based nuggets at a McDonald’s restaurant will be available in Germany’s 1450 outlets today, replacing the vegan burger.
Also new on the menu is the McPlant Burger. It replaces the vegan burger and the Fresh Vegan TS, and McDonald’s has emphasized the plant-based characteristic of the nuggets and patties, avoiding the vegan designation.
This makes Germany the first country market with plant-based nuggets on the menu boards. According to the company, this is also the first time a plant-based alternative has been available in a Happy Meal.
McDonald’s and Beyond Meat worked together to create the new plant-based nuggets and tested them in nine restaurants in Stuttgart in August. The nuggets are made from peas, corn, wheat and tempura breading. Beyond Meat has also had a chicken substitute available in restaurants since mid-2021, when the company rolled out its revamped recipe.
In addition, the McPlant Burger, which is already available in Austria, the UK and the Netherlands, among other countries, is now permanently on the menu in Germany.
With the two new products, McDonald’s, and manufacturers Beyond Meat, aim to appeal primarily to flexitarians. This is because their market share is growing steadily in the German population. For the product launch, the company actively involved guests in the development in a broad-based market test.
The McPlant nuggets are said to be a real alternative to Chicken McNuggets in terms of taste.
The McPlant burger with the Beyond Meat patty is also based on pea protein in combination with processed cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, onions, sandwich sauce, ketchup and mustard, and is claimed to be able to convince even die-hard McDonald’s fans .
The burger replaces the Fresh Vegan TS or Veganburger on the menu and no longer bears the vegan label. This is because animal products such as eggs and milk are used in sauce and cheese sandwiches.
Guest wishes and transparency first
To distinguish the plant-based nuggets from the chicken nuggets, they come in a drop shape that is not found in the classic nuggets.
To publicize the new McPlant products, staff will be distributing free sample portions in McDonald’s restaurants in Germany from February 22 to March 01, 2023. From 02 to 05 March 2023, McDonald’s fans and registered users of the McDonald’s app will then have the chance to win one of 100,000 coupons each to try the McPlant Burger and McPlant Nuggets for free.
Food experts meet to judge New Zealand’s finest produce –
Michelin-star chef Pim Techamuanvivit is joining internationally renowned New Zealand chef Peter Gordon and 25 local food experts to judge the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards in Auckland this week.
More than 290 locally harvested, grown and made food and drink products will be assessed on Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 February at Gordon’s restaurant, Homeland, known as The Food Embassy for Aotearoa and the Pacific Islands.
Born and raised in Bangkok, Pim (pictured above right), took a circuitous route through the world of food from blogging (her blog Chez Pim attracted more than 250,000 views a month), to make award winning jams.
In 2014 Pim opened her first restaurant, Kin Khao in San Francisco, receiving a Michelin star in 2015.
A few years later she opened Nari, her second San Francisco restaurant.
Nari quickly made it onto many Best Restaurant lists including those by the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle and Esquire Magazine. In 2018, she took over Nahm at the Como Metropolitan in Bangkok as the executive chef. Nahm has retained a Michelin star every year since.
With her Kiwi partner, she also enjoys spending time in Auckland and the organizers of the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards are delighted she’s joining the judging panel to sniff, taste and assess food from Aotearoa this year.
Cumin Spiced Wild Tahr Pies, Wild Venison Bressola, fresh crayfish, Jalapeno Kombucha and Organwurst Sausages, locally made ice cream, cheese, drinks and gluten-free products are among the New Zealand foods being judged.
Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards Gold, Silver and Bronze medal winners will be announced on Tuesday 21 March 2023 with category champions and special award winners announced at the Champions Party 2023 on Tuesday 18 April at the Glasshouse in Morningside, Auckland.
The Sicilian Hotel Where ‘White Lotus’ Was Filmed Is Currently Offering a 25% Off Deal
Head to the dreamy location for a bit of a discount — drama not included.
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Looking to experience The White Lotus IRL? Well, it just got a bit cheaper.
The San Domenico Palace, A Four Seasons Hotel, which was the hotel used as the setting for season 2 of the hit HBO show, in Sicily, Italy, is running a promotion offering 25 percent off of certain rates and packages.
Located in Sicily, on a hillside overlooking the Ionian Sea, the building was once a convent back in the 14th century, and has been welcoming guests as a hotel since 1896. However, in recent months, TV fans will recognize it as stomping grounds for stars such as Jennifer Coolidge, Adam DiMarco, Tom Hollander, Aubrey Plaza, and others.
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Fabio Lovino/Courtesy of HBO
The “Discover Taormina” promotion offers guests 25 percent off the bed and breakfast rate for reservations made at least 14 days in advance. The San Domenico Palace didn’t respond to comments from T+L about the status or updates to the promotion, but has it and several featured offers still listed on their site.
While the hotel is running promotions on various rooms and suites, travelers may want to check the total rate before packing their luggage. A review of the hotel rates shows that a regular room can start at $2400 a night, and the Princess Cecilie Suite starts at $6800 for select dates.
Season 2 of The White Lotus debuted on HBO in October, however in December, the hotel took to Instagram to share why the show’s creator picked it for a filming location.
“After visiting more than 30 different hotels from the South of France to the South of Italy, Mike White and his closest entourage immediately fell in love with San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel,” the hotel shared. “‘The hotel itself had the luxury but also this kind of moodiness that was so unique,’” Mr. White said. “’It felt like a place where I could get inspired to come up with something juicy.’”
The hotel is currently closed in preparation for the opening of the spring season, and will re-open on March 14, 2023.
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Cordis Auckland joins EarthCheck Master class –
The saying ‘many hands make light work’ couldn’t be more relevant for Cordis Auckland on its sustainability journey, as they recently received EarthCheck Master status, one of just 15 hotels globally to do so.
The Managing Director of Cordis Auckland, Franz Mascarenhas said the hotel has been on a continuous journey to become more sustainable. It’s all about consistency and the small actions from the team in the hotel daily, from recycling to effective waste management to water usage.
“Fifteen years ago we made a commitment to be a sustainable business and we have been working in incremental steps to achieve this. This accolade is a testament to that, showing that small, consistent steps can make the biggest changes in the long term.
“This is the way forward for business, and we want to lead the way in the hospitality industry. Change however cannot be done in isolation, it’s a global effort to ensure the world we live in is sustainable for future generations.”
Since 1987, EarthCheck has been a world leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism. The world is scrutinizing with increasing urgency the way in which the hospitality industry monitors and reports on its sustainability performance, and credible measurement and reporting are essential in order to be accountable and demonstrate year-on-year improvement.
Using a science based approach, EarthCheck helps travel and tourism organizations to increase efficiencies, maximize guest experience and minimize their environmental footprint.
Most recently, Cordis Auckland launched its new Pinnacle Tower, bringing an extra 244 rooms to the hotel. With this comes increased resources, so the hotel wanted to ensure sustainability was front of mind in the planning phases.
A number of initiatives have been implemented, including high performance glazing, energy efficient LED lighting and controls, water metering, thermally environmentally efficient façade glazing, biking facilities, e-charging stations for electric vehicles, easy access to public transport and much more.
EarthCheck CEO and founder, Stewart Moore, congratulated the Cordis Auckland team on their long-term sustainability commitment over the past 15 years at an event held at the hotel on Thursday 16 February.
“Achieving EarthCheck Master Certification is not an easy task and it takes the commitment of the whole team to deliver improved operational results across the business. There are no shortcuts and there needs to be an ongoing commitment to both measurement and improved performance,” Mr Moore said.
“Cordis Auckland has persistently worked towards optimizing its energy performance, improving water usage, integrating responsible waste management systems and reducing its carbon footprint with science-based targets.”
Notable key achievements at Cordis Auckland include;
Cordis Auckland Beehive
Cordis Auckland has a beehive on level 7 of the hotel, to assist with pollination and support the rehabilitation of bees in urban areas. Auckland is an ideal environment for bees due to the climate, the number of parks close to the city and the number of bees in the city are starting to outnumber those in the rural areas of New Zealand.
The hive can produce 45kgs of honey, which is harvested once per year and the honey they produce is known as Pohutukawa Honey, which has a delicate flavor with a slightly salty tang and creamy texture. The harvested honey is used in the hotels food and beverage outlets.
One bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers per day and if bees cease to exist, we would not be able to consume the foods we eat such as broccoli, asparagus, cucumber, watermelon, almonds and apples.
Soap Recycling
Cordis Auckland works with Beyond Skin Deep to recycle their hotel soaps in the rooms, as an estimated five million bars of unused soap in hotels is thrown away every day. Redistributing these soap bars to the community helps to promote hygiene and reduce the spread of disease, and all this soap collected is donated to the Rapid Relief Team for distribution around NZ and across the globe.
Cordis Auckland was the first hotel in New Zealand to partner with Beyond Skin Deep, and in 2018 and 2019 they collected 597.1kgs of used soap from the hotel’s guest rooms and suites, to be recycled. There was a pause on this initiative with Covid, however it is now being picked up in the second half of 2023.
With the launch of the new Pinnacle Tower, Cordis Auckland also removed single-use amenities where possible, including their toiletries, and swapped liquid re-usable pumps, reducing the plastic waste.
Sustainable Seafood
Cordis Auckland buys seafood that is caught sustainably from reputable companies, with approximately 80% of their seafood completely sustainable. The seafood they source and use in their food and beverage outlets is all managed under the Quota Management system by the Ministry of Primary Industries.
The Quota Management System was introduced in 1986, to conserve NZ major fishery stocks and to improve the economic efficiency of the seafood industry. In future the hotel has targets to make all their seafood only sustainable and fresh and have no endangered species on their menu, including tuna which is not currently available in the hotel.
Green Meetings by Cordis
Cordis Auckland’s new ‘Green Meetings by Cordis’ program offers sustainable meeting solutions to assist organizers in integrating environmental considerations and promoting positive social impact.
The new event considerations include green and environmentally friendly resources, including LED walls, electronic signage, compostable drinking straws, and healthy and delicious food and drink options prepared with fresh, locally sourced, seasonal and sustainable ingredients. There’s also the option for carbon neutral meetings, in collaboration with the South Pole. The carbon footprint of the event will be calculated and offset via a selected green project and organizers will be awarded a carbon-neutral certificate.
What’s next?
The hotel is looking at a water bottling machine on site as an alternative to plastic water bottles, in an effort to phase out single use plastics. Water bottling machines will sanitize the glass bottles, fill and seal them.
Cordis Auckland has also used ORCA in the past and are re-introducing this post-Covid. ORCA is an innovative food waste solution that mimics a natural digestion process. It uses mostly water, along with water and microbiology to turn your food waste into an environmentally safe liquid that goes down the drain. Once at the waste water treatment plant, the liquid can then be used to create renewable, sustainable energy.
Hawaii leads vegan charge in USA –
Hawaii, Oregon, and New York are the most vegan-obsessed states in America.
Research conducted by health and fitness experts at Total Shape used Google search data to examine the search volume of vegan-related search terms per 100K residents in each state in America over the past 12 months. The study also analyzed each state’s favorite source of vegan protein.
The research revealed that Hawaii is the state most interested in a plant-based diet. Over the past 12 months, over 1.7K vegan-related searches were made per 100K Hawaiian residents. The most popular search term among Hawaii’s population was “Vegan,” followed by “Vegan Restaurants”, which had 12.1K searches and 9.9K searches, respectively.
The most popular natural source of protein for those who are on a plant-based diet in Hawaii is Jackfruit. Surprisingly, Jackfruit only offers 2.8g of protein per cup, however, it is popular due to its similar texture to pulled pork, an excellent gateway for those who want to try a vegan diet.
The second most vegan-obsessed state is Oregon, with a search volume of 1.5K vegan-related search terms per 100K residents. Oregon is known for its fresh fruits, especially blueberries and huckleberries, as well as its hazelnuts, which are prominent in a vegan diet.
Quinoa and Jackfruit are the joint most popular vegan protein sources in Oregon. Quinoa is a great source of protein, offering 8g of protein per 100g. Although this may not be as high compared to processed plant-based proteins, Quinoa offers all essential amino acids, as well as fiber, which explains why it is so popular.
New York is the third most vegan-obsessed state, with 1.3K vegan-related searches per 100K residents. Similarly to Oregon, Quinoa and Jackfruit are the most popular vegan sources of protein in New York. Chia seeds are also another popular choice for protein in New York, providing 17g per 100g serving.
Surprisingly, California does not rank at number one but instead ranks fourth, with just over 1,000 searches per 100K residents. California has a huge vegan following, especially as it has nearly 8,000 vegan restaurants, however, it still fails to rank at number one.
A spokesperson from Total Shape commented on the research, “It may come as a surprise that Hawaii is the most vegan-obsessed state in America, as it is well known for its fresh fish and often referred to as a ‘Fisherman’s paradise.’
“Furthermore, a vegan lifestyle is more attainable today because products are more readily available, and people now choose to opt for a balanced diet that does not consist of animal products.”
Ed Sheeran chocolate block up for grabs to support flood victims –
Whittaker’s has announced there are five special ‘Ed-ition’ prize packs up for grabs to raise funds for Auckland flood recovery thanks to support from Ed Sheeran.
Whittaker’s created the ‘Ed Block’ for him last week after he posted to Instagram about New Zealand chocolate.
The ‘Ed Block’ is Whittaker’s classic Five Roll Refined Creamy Milk chocolate with a special edition label. He has now supplied a selfie which features on the blocks, and collaborated with Whittaker’s on the prize packs.
Each prize pack contains a signed Special Ed-ition Ed Block, a signed one-of-a-kind Ed Block t-shirt each with a unique caption, and a year’s supply of Whittaker’s Chocolate.
Chocolate Lovers can bid for the prize packs on TradeMe with 100 per cent of proceeds being donated to Auckland’s flood recovery efforts.
Whittaker’s Brand Manager, Tamra Lindsay, says Whittaker’s are delighted to have Ed’s support in fundraising for the Auckland City Mission – Te Tāpui Atawhai.
“All of the funds raised through our Ed Block auctions will go to the Mission, who will distribute funding, in association with Foundation North – Hapai Pūtua Oranga, to other trusted local community organizations also delivering on-the-ground support to help those in greatest need across the city in the aftermath of the flooding,” says Tamra.
Helen Robinson, Mission CEO – Manutaki says the response from people across the country – and now an international superstar – to support those in our city affected by the floods showing the true spirit and heart of Aotearoa.
“At the Mission, we’re incredibly humbled to have the support of Whittaker’s and Ed! With so many community organizations helping in the aftermath of the flooding, the Mission is taking this fundraising opportunity to support those organizations too so that together we can help as many people as possible,” says Helen.
Light-hearted banter began between Whittaker’s and Ed after he posted to Instagram with the caption “NZ chocolate is actually alright.”
“At Whittaker’s, we couldn’t be happier to hear that Ed had become a chocolate lover and thought we would celebrate by crafting him the perfect treat.”
“Now with a dedicated selfie from Ed himself, we can’t wait to share the special Ed-ition ‘Ed Block’ prize packs with Chocolate Lovers in support of the Auckland flood recovery,” says Tamra.
Head to TradeMe from 11am today to bid for your chance to get your hands on one of the Special Edition ‘Ed Block’ prize packs.
You can also head to the company’s Giveaway page to donate and support the cause outside of bidding on the auctions.