From left Jodi Cordell, Emma Raeburn and Elliot Luxton who are from either Yonder or The World Bar in Queenstown at a recruitment event. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
Tourists in Queenstown arrived before the workers did this winter - putting businesses on high alert.
Businesses do not want history to repeat for the summer months - with staff already in the resort town taking their pick of the best pay and conditions to suit them.
There has been excitement and trepidation in Queenstown as Aotearoa prepares to roll out the welcome mat to all tourists this summer.
Republic Hospitality operates 10 bars and restaurants and a recruitment company in Queenstown.
Its human resources manager Eilís Fenton said they needed all the staff they could get.
"Honestly, we can't have enough. Hopefully we're in for a phenomenal summer season and especially as we do a workforce side of it as well, we have a huge amount.
"But I suppose the biggest one is we could take on another 60 staff easily and just be tipping along."
She remained optimistic the workers would arrive in time.
"I do see there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I've had working holiday visas coming through, we're an accredited workforce. We'll find out how easy it is to actually get people in."
Republic Hospitality human resources manager Eilís Fenton said there should be more advertising of New Zealand to potential tourists overseas. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
Eilís wanted to see more New Zealand advertised more overseas, saying we were were falling behind.
"Australia tourism is advertised everywhere, I was in Ireland and I was in the UK, bus stops, on the radio, on television, and there was nothing for New Zealand.
"We weren't even there and people just keep saying to us 'oh, I didn't know you guys were open yet. When do you open?'."
Yonder and The World Bar have cut back their opening hours and some meal services due to staff shortages.
Jodi Cordell runs Yonder, and said they needed another 30 to 40 staff to run both businesses full-time.
"If we want to go full-time - so that would be seven days and then open right from 7am to 2am for Yonder and then 12pm to 3-4am for The World Bar - it would probably be for Yonder kitchen alone needs double the amount of staff it's got right now.
"So probably about seven or eight chefs are needed in probably both kitchens to make that function as a restaurant."
She was hopeful more working holiday visa holders from further afield including America and England would start applying.
Businesses had to think outside the box more when they were looking to attract staff, she said.
"Every business is trying to come up with their own sort of incentive plan in order to sort of pull people in. It's just trying to do it within reason, not just throwing things at everybody in order for them to get working and then them not actually having the abilities to do it at the standard we need.
"I think everybody's just deciding what that's going to be for summer and where to sort of start."
Erik's Fish and Chips usually operates in Wānaka and Queenstown, but had to close the Wānaka food truck because there were not enough staff.
Owner Anna Arndt has been advertising flat stick since March, and she only wanted three more staff for the summer.
"It's scary and it's scary cause the winter has been so busy.
"Look, don't get me wrong, it's great. The Australians have come back here in force and Australians love fish and chips so we've been really busy, and that's wonderful. But I just do need some more staff."
Even adding three more staff would not be enough to reopen in Wānaka.
Erik's Fish and Chips owner Anna Arndt said she had to close her food truck in Wānaka because there were not enough staff and still needs three more staff for her Queenstown shop. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
Arndt was now grappling with what summer would look like if she could not get workers.
"I'll have to work a hell of a lot and, well, we'll just have to close at different times. We're not open for as long hours. We closed for six days at the beginning of September, just to give the staff a break because everyone has worked so hard. We have still managed to be open for seven days so hopefully we can still do that."
Arndt has sponsored a few workers from overseas, but a few staff were also moving on ahead of summer - and she also started a bonus system a few months ago.
"So if we hit budget each week, depending on how much we are over budget, they get at least an extra dollar an hour, and then just trying to organise lots of fun activities for them to do.
"I like try and trade fish and chips with something so we might take the staff iFlying or go for a jetboat ride or do something."
The Ministry of Social Development, Hospitality New Zealand and Go With Tourism are collaborating to create recruitment events in Wānaka and Queenstown.
The ministry's southern regional commissioner, Steph Voight, said they were focused on encouraging winter workers to stick around.
"These are people already in the area, have accommodation which can be one of the biggest barriers for people looking for work in this area. Basically we're looking to do whatever we can partner up with industry and help to address the challenges we are seeing in this labour market."
A recruitment event was being held at the Lake Wānaka Centre from 6pm-8pm tonight.
