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The tourism industry is welcoming changes to the Easter Sunday trading law, which could see shops in tourism areas allowed to stay open on the public holiday.

The Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill has passed its third reading, allowing local councils to decide whether shops in their district can trade on Easter Sunday.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa Chief Executive Chris Roberts said they've been advocating for this for a long time, given the impact it can have on tourist-focussed events over that weekend.

He said areas like Rotorua will be particularly pleased "because they've been unable to open on Easter Sunday when just down the road in Taupo they were able to open. It was one of the strange little quirks of the law until now. Anywhere that see a reasonable number of tourists will be very happy."

Roberts said they'd have preferred it to be a national rule.

"Rather than leaving it to the 70 odd councils to decide when and where shops will be able to open. Visitors move quickly between regions and finding some shops open in some places and not in others is not creating the seamless experience we want for our visitors."

He said it's good there are protections in place so people don't have to work on Easter Sunday if they don't wish, because it's about servicing visitors, not inconveniencing Kiwis.

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