More visitors come Out East in 2014

The latest visitor statistics for the Gisborne District are out and show a 7.6% increase in visitor nights last year, with over 1.5 million visitor nights in 2014. This is the third year in a row that visitor numbers have increased, with a 12% increase in visitor nights in 2013 and 9.4% increase in visitor nights in 2012.

The latest MBIE Regional Tourism Estimates (RTE) data showed that the visitor economy was worth $75 million to the Gisborne District in 2014, with visitor spend distributed to many different sectors within the local economy.

Kerry Taggart marketing manager Tourism Eastland says “It is encouraging to see three years of sustained growth in visitor numbers and an increase in visitor spend. It shows that even though the visitor economy is by and large an invisible industry, it is definitely not insignificant. Most of our visitors are kiwis just like us and so it’s easy not to recognise them as visitors when they are here.”

Tourism’s contribution to the economy has historically been represented by accommodation sector figures. The RTEs show that our commercial accommodation providers, those who provide the infrastructure that allows many of our visitors to come and stay here, received 16% of the visitor spend in 2014 ($12 million). The balance was spent in businesses across the Gisborne district, such as retail (32% or $24 million), fuel and automotive (27% or $20 million) and food and beverage (16% or $12 million).

Commercial accommodation operators in the Gisborne District will be pleased to see an increase in commercial accommodation nights up 8.4% on 2013. “It is encouraging to see commercial accommodation guest nights in positive growth, as it continues to be a challenging environment for accommodation providers. There continues to be a rapid rate of change in visitor booking behaviour in an increasingly online environment, which allows visitors to access a wider selection of accommodation, including holiday home and book-a-bach options.”

The positive growth in visitor nights and spend continues a bumper 2014 year for Tourism Eastland which saw the launch of The Official App – Out East, the only 100% offline regional guide in New Zealand and the accolade of Best i-SITE in New Zealand from the well regarded travel website Rankers.

Tourism Eastland’s research includes guest arrival and guest night stay data from the Commercial Accommodation monitor (Department of Statistics) and the Private Accommodation Monitor (APR Consultants). These statistics do not include marae stays, private holiday homes, Rhythm and Vines operated campsites, freedom campers and non GST registered accommodation businesses, and are for the 2014 calendar year.

The Regional Tourism Estimates are prepared by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment using electronic card data and the International Visitor Survey for the 2014 financial year.

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