The latest MarketView data report shows Whakatāne District continues to outperform other Bay of Plenty centres in visitor spending. For six months to June, Whakatāne District visitor spending increased 5.7% to $47 million. Visitor hotspot Mount Maunganui had a 5% decline in visitor spending for the same period, as did Tauranga city, in the red with an 18% decline. Pāpāmoa is the only Western Bay of Plenty centre with visitor expenditure growth, at 1.9%.
Visitor spending for the district also compared favourably against national figures. While international tourism expenditure is beginning to slowly return, total visitor spending in New Zealand declined 1% from January to June 2022, compared to the same period in 2021.
Whakatāne District Council Tourism and Events Manager Nicola Burgess says there are several factors influencing Whakatāne District’s strong performance.
“There is no doubt inflation is having an impact on the figures, particularly with the increasing cost of fuel. However, inflation is a country-wide issue, so the real win here is our like-for-like comparison to the rest of the Bay of Plenty, and to New Zealand as a whole.
“We have worked hard over the past few years on tourism recovery since the Whakaari eruption and COVID-19 fundamentally changed us as a destination. Our domestic market has grown, particularly through the shoulder seasons, with people choosing to take holidays further afield than the usual hotspots like Mount Maunganui,” she says.
Visitor spending in the retail industry (including groceries and fuel) accounts for the largest portion of visitor spend, with $32 million spent in the sector from January – June 2022. Hospitality comes in second, with $9 million spent over the same period.
The return of events to the Whakatāne District expects to further boost visitor spend. Ms Burgess says events are important for the community, bringing both economic and social benefits. Recent events, Soaked in Adventure and The West End Wiggle, attracted visitors from around the country.
“Winter is usually a quieter period for events, and in the past two years we’ve virtually had no large events at all due to COVID-19 restrictions. This year the winter events calendar has been busier than ever, with some events attracting visitors from around the country.
“80% of participants for Soaked in Adventure and The West End Wiggle were from outside the Whakatāne District, from as far afield as the South Island. Approximately one-third of Soaked in Adventure participants stayed for two nights and together, both events attracted around 1000 attendees.
“It’s fantastic to see the events calendar building up again after an incredibly challenging few years,” she says.
The Infometrics Quarterly Monitor Report shows a similar trend identifying Whakatāne District as one of the strongest performers for GDP growth in the country.
Whakatane District’s GDP grew 9%pa in the March year, compared to national GDP growth of 5.2%pa. Consumer spending (up 9%pa) and tourism expenditure (up 12.5%pa) were significant contributors to the district’s GDP growth. Visitors spent approximately $90 million in Whakatane District during the year to March 2022, up from $80 million one year ago.
Eastern Bay of Plenty Chamber of Commerce General Manager Andrew Watson says business confidence is increasing following a challenging period navigating the impacts of COVID-19.
“It’s great to see business confidence increasing again as consumers head back into town. We are seeing an increase in our membership as well as strong support for our business support programmes, which is an indicator that businesses are looking to strengthen and grow their presence in the region.”