The Bay of Plenty will get a $158,000 funding boost to support the development of a new collaborative regional tourism framework, it was announced at the release of the 2016 Bay of Connections Yearly Report in Tauranga today.
The report was launched by Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy.
The government will contribute $79,000 towards the visitor economy project, with another $79,000 contributed by the Bay of Plenty region. The project is part of the Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Action Plan, which was launched last year to implement the findings of the Regional Growth Study, and is overseen by Bay of Connections.
The visitor economy part of the plan aims to develop four sub-regional tourism strategies - Western Bay of Plenty, Eastern Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and Taupo - a regional strategy, and a set of agreed regional priorities.
Bay of Connections chairman Doug Leeder said the funding announcement was a significant milestone for the region, the tourism industry and for Bay of Connections.
"This is the first time the Bay of Plenty visitor economy sector has worked together in this way," he said.