A Tauranga CBD accommodation provider who housed vulnerable community members in lockdown, says they are ready to welcome corporate travellers into their apartments as the country moves to level 2.

With the return of some domestic travel under level 2 restrictions, businesses and tourist areas remain cautiously optimistic that Kiwis will book holidays and restart corporate travel.

Quest Tauranga Central and Quest on Durham remained open for those needing emergency housing amid the lockdown.

Bay of Plenty Tourism CEO Kirstin Dunne says the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry has been significant, but she commends Quest Tauranga for doing what they could during lockdown.

'I applaud Quest's Tauranga properties for swiftly pivoting their business by providing accommodation to our community's most vulnerable and, in doing so, retaining staff.

'The manaakitanga and care shown by local Iwi and hapū in Te Moananui ā Toi (the Coastal Bay of Plenty) for the hotel guests is exemplary.”

Quest Apartment Hotels group general manager Adrian Turner says Quest would not have been able to provide this assistance without the help of the local Iwi.

'This combination of forces has pivoted the local Tauranga Strand CBD toward success and will be the same in the other regional areas in which Quest has properties.

He adds that the 'Tauranga area is slowly rising back to rates seen at the beginning of the year, which is a good sign that it will soon thrive again.”

Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley says Tauranga will likely continue its long-term population growth trends beyond the immediate pandemic.

'With the continued steps toward innovation, infrastructure and with the new ideas created in light of the lowering alert level, Tauranga will become one of the best small cities in the area. With safety in mind, we cannot wait to welcome travellers back.”