Recently released figures indicate that the Whakatāne District’s popularity as a tourism destination is continuing to grow at a healthy rate. The figures by Statistics New Zealand for June 2017 show that international guest nights rose 47.8% compared to the same month in 2016, and the average length of stay rose from 1.86 nights to 2.23 nights. In addition, domestic guest nights rose 24.7%, and the accommodation occupancy rate, excluding holiday parks, was 45.5%, which Roslyn Barlow, Business Services Manager at Whakatāne District Council, says is an excellent figure for what has generally been a very wet winter.

“These figures show that our efforts to market the District internationally are paying dividends, and also that we are strengthening our image as a year-round destination,” she says. “The increase in length of stay is particularly good, because the longer people stay in our area, the more economic benefit we get, not just in regard to accommodation and tourism, but also in the flow-on effect of retail and hospitality spending.”

Patrick O’Sullivan, General Manager at White Island Tours, says that though their figures can be affected by weather variations, they had seen a sizeable increase in bookings compared to last year. “For June and July,” he says, “we have been looking at an increase in passenger numbers of around 60%, and we have also seen our numbers remain high right through to August. We had a noticeable increase in visitors from the United Kingdom around the time of the Lions tour, but there was also an increase in numbers from North America and France.”

This sentiment was echoed by Robbie Watt, owner and operator of Driftsand boutique motel in Ōhope, particularly in regard to the numbers of visitors choosing the District in the winter months. “We are seeing occupancy rates increasing year-on-year by 20% for the winter months,” he says. “As I have said before, the thinking around seasonal offerings is flawed. This is a great place to visit all year round, because we have unique experiences and activities like the kiwi night walks, the Motu Trails, and the beach, which are great in any season.”