Pivot is the new buzz word in these COVID-19 times and some businesses in Te Anau have responded to the call in innovative ways.

The impact of the COVID-19 border restrictions has caused most tourism dependent businesses to search for ways to survive the international tourist drought and many operators are now using their skills in income generating work opportunities such as truck driving and the Department of Conservation COVID-19 funded project ‘jobs for nature’.

One of the latest businesses to transform is ‘Rosco’s Milford Kayaking’, an adventure kayaking tour company based in Milford Sound owned by Rosco Gaudin who has been operating his business for more that 30 years and in recent years with his wife, Mel Gaudin who took over the administration and marketing of his well established business

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Besides the Milford kayaking Operation, the business also had an information and booking office on the main street in Te Anau which reopened this week after being re-invented as a ‘nail bar’.

Mrs Gaudin is a nail technician and operated a nail business in her late mother’s hair salon ‘Maggie’s Place’ 25 years ago, so the idea of offering nail services in Te Anau was really going back to her roots.

So far, the ‘pivot’ was paying off, she said. She has experienced a real demand for pampering type services in the town and since she opened for business last week there had been a stream of inquiries and satisfied customers.