Wales test continues bumper year for hotels

The ‘full-house’ signs were up at the Westpac Stadium – and around the region - last night as the accommodation and hospitality sector enjoyed the financial windfall from the All Blacks-Wales test.

Mayor Celia Wade-Brown says: “The Capital City has been buzzing this weekend – with rugby fans enjoying the good weather. Bars and restaurants were packed – and Blue Man Group, Purapurawhetu, the NZSO’s Scheherazade, King Lear, the Night Noodle Market on Taranaki Street Wharf and many more events made this a hot winter weekend.”

And the Chair of Wellington City Council’s Economic Growth Committee, Councillor Jo Coughlan, says the match continues to show the importance of the investment by the Council and the Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency in major events and tourism promotion.

Cr Coughlan says WREDA’s latest quarterly report will be discussed at a meeting of her committee on Tuesday (21 June). The report shows that major events contributed to “very good times” for the region’s accommodation providers – with some 751,300 commercial guest nights, the highest-ever quarterly total, recorded in the January-March quarter - an increase of 7.6% on last year.

Cr Coughlan says the quarter was notable for a series of big events including the NZ International Festival, the Royal Edinburgh Tattoo, CubaDupa and the Sevens. “Many people attending these events came from outside the region – and Australian visitor numbers and spend by international visitors were both up by 20%.”

The report also notes a 12% increase in visitors to the WellingtonNZ site and 128,000 visitors through its i-SITE Visitor Information Centre, an 8% increase.

ENDS

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