Waihi and the Coromandel experiencing surge in holiday makers

Waihi and the Coromandel are becoming popular destinations. Photo / Supplied

Camping grounds, holiday parks and baches in the region are experiencing a surge in business with some booking out - as Kiwis rediscover the benefits of exploring their own backyard.

Waihi Beach Paradise Resort owner Peter West says bookings are pouring in.

"We are pretty much fully booked in the short term, we are even having to turn people away," he says.

"It's great to see Kiwis' wanting to take advantage of the unique laid-back lifestyle that Waihī Beach has to offer."

Owner of Waihi Beach Top 10 Holiday Park, Ian Smith, says their occupancy is up 6 per cent and revenue had doubled on the same period last year. Bookings for the school holidays were very solid, he says.

"Campgrounds along the Bay of Plenty coastline are the economic backbone for many communities, with our campground alone contributing $10 million in visitor revenue each year," says Ian.

"People are spending money and provided they receive good service and value for money, I think the trend is set to continue as New Zealanders continue to experience what their country has to offer."

Park assistant at Beachaven Top10 Holiday Park, Iona Dickson, said the park had been booked out on the last two weekends.

People had travelled from as far afield as Christchurch and quite a number of Aucklanders had journeyed south.

Waihi and the Coromandel are becoming popular destinations. Photo / Supplied

Grant Jones from Whitianga Campground said he was also pleasantly surprised by an influx of visitors, which was good for the local economy.

Meanwhile, Bachcare chief operating officer Shaun Fitzmaurice said the Coromandel had been one of the great success stories since the domestic travel restrictions were removed.

Through the July school holidays its Coromandel bookings climbed 169 per cent compared to the same time last year and bookings were still rolling in for this weekend, he said.

Whitianga had also performed particularly strongly, with bookings up 265 per cent on last year with Waihi Beach a close second, up 211 per cent compared to 2019.

''We are also seeing guests looking to stay for a longer period than at the same time last year, perhaps due to a more flexible working environment after lockdown with families heading away early or coming back later because they can use the Wi-Fi at the bach.

''It's been awesome to see so many guests travelling, it's a part of Kiwi culture to visit the bach and so many are choosing to reconnect after a long lockdown by the beach in the Coromandel.''

Tourism Bay of Plenty chief executive Kristin Dunne says it couldn't have foreseen what the tourism industry would look like after Covid-19 and ''we had to plan for all scenarios''.

She said domestic travellers comprised 80 per cent of the Bay of Plenty visitor market and its destination management plan provided practical advice and tools to help local businesses evolve to meet the increased demand.

"Covid in fact simply amplified why we have worked so hard to bring this Destination Management Plan together. We can't do tourism as we have in the past, Covid has thrown that into focus even more."

Destination Coromandel was also running a Winter Wellness campaign to promote the Coromandel for winter getaways and would launch a Where Kiwis Holiday campaign in September to promote the region during spring and summer.