Hospitality sector looks for innovative ways to attract punters

There is no doubt, the hospitality sector has done it tough over these past few months. Lockdowns for level 4 and 3 saw bars and restaurants forced to close. Immerging from this trying time, bars and restaurants are looking to attract punters back into their establishments.

While Kiwis have been eager to return to normality, post-lockdown, the unfortunate timing of easing restrictions as we head into winter makes things challenging for the hospitality sector.

More than ever, hospitality business owners are embracing outdoor heating solutions, to make outdoor areas inhabitable and increase capacity of their venues.

“Most years we see a steady run up of orders into winter”, explain Kelvin Davis, founder of NZ outdoor heater manufacturer, Kelray Heaters.

“The lockdown period effectively transported us from summer to winter and we are noticing many businesses react to this now”.

The company, who produce the only NZ made outdoor heaters have seen a surge in orders as lockdown was lifted.

“It’s not easy to pull in customers when the weather is undesirable”, says Davis. “We are seeing increased interest not only in our products, but also in people seeking guidance onto how best to heat their outdoor space”.

Many hospitality businesses who relied heavily on their summer clientele are now beginning to see the value of creating a space that is comfortable all year round.

“We’ve had a lot of excellent feedback after installing out heaters for local bars and restaurants”, says Davis. “We hope this not only give these businesses a boost now, but for many winters to come”.

Kelray Heating’s range of infrared radiant outdoor heaters can heat an outdoor space in minutes and come with a three-year warranty – the longest warranty for an outdoor heater in NZ.