Christchurch Car Rental  Christchurch Hotel Discounts  Christchurch Flight Discounts

Business in Christchurch / Christchurch Business Tips
(Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ)



Christchurch's Central Business District (CBD) is one of the main commercial areas on New Zealand's South Island and Christchurch's historic Cathedral Square lies in the very heart of the Christchurch city centre and the business district. Dominated by the famous Christ Church Cathedral, the Town Hall, the Christchurch Convention Centre and the scenic Avon River, the Christchurch Central Business District (CBD) is a mixture of historic buildings, modern architecture, shopping centres, street cafés and restaurant district - particularly along Oxford Terrace, also known simply as 'The Strip'.

Tourism, retail, hospitality and the spreading campus of Christchurch's University of Canterbury, with more than 12,000 students, make an important contribution to Christchurch's thriving economy. As a result, Christchurch has a fantastic range of shops, restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions in and around the Central Business District (CBD), and Christchurch has recently invested in a striking new sports and entertainment complex, a truly world-class business and convention centre, a performing arts complex and the impressive Christchurch Art Gallery.




Christchurch Business Tips: Currency in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Currency in Christchurch and New Zealand as a whole is decimal, based on dollar and cent denominations. New Zealand dollars (NZD) come in notes to the value of $5, $10, $50 and $100 and there are also 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2 coins. Transactions in Christchurch involving 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 or 9 cents are either rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 5 cents.

There is no actual limit on the amount of currency that you are permitted to carry with you both in and out of Christchurch, and New Zealand dollars may be exchanged for any other foreign currency using the current exchange rate.

All major credit cards are accepted throughout Christchurch, Canterbury and New Zealand, including American Express, Bankcard, MasterCard, Visa and Diners Club. Travellers' Cheques are also widely accepted and most banks around Christchurch will happily give a cash advance on credit cards.

Christchurch Business Tips: Smoking in Christchurch - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Restaurants and cafés around Christchurch have a fairly strict 'no smoking' policy and Christchurch's businesses, office blocks and companies are also generally 'non-smoking'. Many locals in Christchurch have recently become much more anti-smoking, so it is often a good idea to only smoke in Christchurch when others nearby are also smoking, or ask before lighting up.

Christchurch Business Tips: Christchurch Business Hours / General Etiquette - Christchurch, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand NZ
Banks in Christchurch and nearby areas of Canterbury open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 16:30 and plenty of overseas currency exchange facilities are also available at nearby Christchurch Airport (CHC). ATM cashpoint machines are located all around Christchurch and provide an extremely convenient and competitive way to exchange currency in Christchurch.

Christchurch's shops and other businesses are usually open weekdays between 09:00 and 17:30. Shops in and around Christchurch are also open on Saturdays, between 09:00 to around 12:30 or later, and Christchurch's shops are now starting to open on Sundays, particularly in central Christchurch.

 
CHRISTCHURCH TRAVEL GUIDE...