The West Coast of the South Island is taking the issue of staff shortages into its own hands.
A marketing campaign called 'Are you cut out for the Coast?' is being rolled out internationally to entice people from all sectors to live and work on the West Coast.
A sales pitch to workers all over the world.
"It's a social media campaign, if you're over in Europe or perhaps even north America it might come through on your feed if you're the right type of person," Development West Coast chief executive Heath Milne said.
Development West Coast has asked 'Are you cut out for the coast?', desperate to quell the severe staff shortage.
"We're competing with Australia [and]other parts of the world. It's much harder to attract those people than it used to be so we're just doing a bit extra to get them here," Milne said.
Starting with healthcare - the West Coast has more than 60 job vacancies.
"[We've] always had a bit of a challenge in recruiting and retaining staff and that's one of the things we have gone to this rural generalist model of care on the coast," Whatu Ora Te Tai o Poutini West Coast general manager Philip Wheble told Newshub.
The campaign will then focus on other sectors - targeting people who will enjoy what the coast has to offer.
It can't come soon enough for Sundowner Motel owner Murray Torrens whose motel is moving into its busiest month since the start of COVID-19.
"It adds a huge amount of pressure and we find ourselves cleaning until five or six o'clock at night hoping we get the room done before the guests arrive," Torrens said.
Bookings are finally filling up but staff vacancies are not.
"They [the rooms] won't be cleaned so we can't sell them which affects your bottom line," Torrens said.
A concern shared by most sectors across the board.
"If anyone out there wants a job and wants to come and work here feel free," Torrens said.
