If you’re one of the many New Zealanders back at work today, it’s time to get the calendars out, circle some public holidays, and stretch those annual leave days as far as possible, writes Anna Murray.
Are you back at the office for 2024? Me too!
Are you already thinking about the next break from work? Also, me too!
If you love a long weekend, 2024 presents a couple of opportunities for a four-day break, as well as some longer stretches away from work that use minimal leave.
Here’s how the public holidays fall this year so you can start planning that time away.
Taking advantage of regional days
A few of the regional anniversary days lend themselves to especially long breaks with fewer days of annual leave.
People living at the top of the country and those in Nelson can once again enjoy an extended holiday given their regional holidays’ close proximity to Waitangi Day (February 6).
Both Auckland Anniversary Day and Nelson Anniversary Day fall on Monday, January 29 in 2024, with Waitangi Day falling a little over a week later.
This means people in those areas can potentially get 11 days away from work (including the weekends) using just five days of leave.
Meanwhile, the people of Otago can also enjoy a longer break using fewer days of leave, with Easter falling close to the region’s anniversary day in 2024.
Otago Anniversary Day is observed on Monday, March 25, with Easter beginning on Friday, March 29. This means people in the region can get 10 days off work (including the weekends) using just three days of annual leave, from March 26-28.
Waitangi Day
With Waitangi Day landing on a Tuesday in 2024, workers can take Monday, February 5 off and gift themselves an easy four-day weekend.
An Easter bonus for the south
Easter will be observed from Friday, March 29 to Monday, April 1 in 2024.
With Southland Anniversary Day falling on Tuesday, April 2, those in the far south will get an extra long Easter break this time around.
Anzac Day
Anzac Day (April 25) falls on a Thursday in 2024, offering up another opportunity for a cheeky four-day weekend if people take the Friday off work.
An extra long Labour Weekend in Hawke’s Bay
Labour Day is Monday, October 28 this year.
With Hawke’s Bay Anniversary Day on Friday, October 25, people in that region again get an extra long Labour Weekend.
Other dates for the calendar:
King’s Birthday falls on Monday, June 3 in 2024.
Matariki falls on Friday, June 28 in 2024.
You may not be able to stretch these two public holidays out further but you can at least try and get the jump on some long weekend accommodation before it all books out.