Tourists visiting Dunedin today will be advised the best places to eat and drink if they want to avoid paying a Waitangi Day surcharge.
- [comment caption=What do you think about the DCC providing such information to tourists?]
Dunedin Visitor Centre manager Louise van de Vlierd confirmed to the Otago Daily Times a list had been compiled revealing to tourists which inner city cafes, bars and restaurants they could visit without being charged extra.
"This is the height of the tourist season. We should be welcoming people . . . not slapping 20% on their bills.
"There have to be incentives to come, otherwise they can just stay on their ship and drink and eat for free."
Only one tourist business had decided to charge a surcharge, she said. While most hospitality businesses were operating on Saturday hours, some were opting not to open at all.
This was likely to result in a bumper day of trade for those that did, she said.
Visitor Centre staff had contacted businesses to compile a list of how much they would be charging, with many reporting a surcharge of between 10% and 20%.
The list is expected to be popular with more than 5000 passengers expected to arrive from two large cruise ships today, she said.
Owner-operator of The Perc, Sarah Henderson, said her cafe had never charged a public holiday surcharge "because I always hated being charged when I go out".
The increase in customers on a public holiday made up for paying staff extra and "people really appreciate it".
The cafe has a sign on the door saying "no surcharge 'cos we're not greedy", and had received lots of positive feedback from its customers, she said.
Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton said tourists had "no desire to pay extra on the day they chose to visit the area".
"But it is up to the individual business."
Cruise ship representative Craig Harris, of Cruise New Zealand, said public holiday surcharges were "a fact of life" and passengers might not be aware it was a public holiday.
"They will vote with their feet if they see a sign on the door. It is entirely up to them."
Today, Rhapsody of the Seas, with 2500 passengers and 750 crew, arrives at 6.15am, and Diamond Princess, with 2600 passengers and 1200 crew, arrives at 8.15am.
The cruise ships will depart 30 minutes apart, Rhapsody of the Seas at 5.30pm and Diamond Princess at 6pm.
