Protecting the Rotorua community and its economy is the driving force behind a new Rotorua Chamber of Commerce campaign designed to get as many in the local business community vaccinated as possible.

Launched in conjunction with Te Arawa COVID Hub, the campaign is coined '100% Club” – Making Rotorua Safe, Nau Mai Haere Mai Ki Rotorua.

Chamber CEO Bryce Heard says the campaign's objective is twofold: to support the recovery of Rotorua businesses and the local economy; and to ensure as much of Rotorua is vaccinated as possible to help protect people once the Auckland borders open on December 15.

'Our aim is to provide our local business community with positive, proactive support and encouragement to achieve fully vaccinated status as quickly as reasonably possible,” says Bryce.

'Our campaign is not about punitive measures, it is about providing support, celebrating success, protecting people and welcoming manuhiri back to our rohe.

'Rotorua has taken a hit from Covid-19 and we want to ensure local businesses are in the best position possible to bounce back and be even stronger heading into the future.”

Fully vaccinated businesses can be positively branded as being part of the 100% Club, with listings on the Chamber of Commerce and Te Arawa COVID Hub websites, stickers for shop fronts, business doors, websites and social media, and a 50 per cent discount to become a new member of the Chamber of Commerce.

In order to support businesses with the tools and information they need to get their workplaces fully vaccinated, the Chamber can offer up-to-date advice from employment and health and safety experts.

Te Arawa COVID Hub can also facilitate education sessions at businesses and arrange a mobile clinic on site if that will help support vaccinations.

Te Arawa COVID Hub Project Co-ordinator Karen Vercoe says the joint campaign is about Rotorua taking control of its own future, protecting its people and creating confidence in the reboot of the local economy.

'We are fully committed to supporting whānau navigate through this next phase of our Covid journey which presents an increased risk of community spread. But just as importantly, we also want to support our Rotorua businesses move forward.

'Now is the time to get fully vaccinated and also to look ahead. We look forward to working with the local business community to help this happen.”

For further information, go to https://www.rotoruachamber.co.nz/100-club/