The latest tourism spending data has shown Hawke's Bay is up 8 per cent compared with the year to May 2016.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment yesterday released figures which revealed the money spent by tourists in Hawke's Bay sat at an estimated $604 million for the year to May 2017 and $38 million for May alone.
Hawke's Bay Tourism general manager Annie Dundas said the increase was a great thing for the region and reflected yet another "bump" in the growing trajectory of tourism spending.
She attributed the increase to the region's events, marketing and the unusually fine weather for the wintry month of May.
While numbers were technically down for the Hawke's Bay Marathon this year, Ms Dundas said, she was pleased to see the Bay had received good results despite this.