Brace for surge of tourists

NORTHLAND can expect a bumper tourism season this summer, with earnings for January alone set to exceed the $60 million recorded at the same time last year.
With fingers crossed for good weather, the region's accommodation and tour operators are gearing up for an influx of visitors this week as the summer holidays get under way.
Tourism bosses say intensive marketing, the sinking of the former Navy frigate HMNZS Canterbury in the Bay of Islands, and a near-record number of cruise ships have boosted Northland's reputation and visitor numbers.
In January 2007 Northland's official accommodation monitor clocked up just under 230,000 domestic visitor nights and 134,000 international visitor nights. The true number of visitors is thought to be double that.
With the average Kiwi spending $67 a night and overseas tourists $115, that makes more than $60 million in direct spending alone.
Although December got off to a slow start, visitor numbers from January through to March are expected to be up on last year by 3 to 4 per cent, according to Destination Northland general manager Robyn Bolton.
Reservations were already well ahead of last year, Ms Bolton said.
Northland Tourism Development Group chairman David Perks said investment, particularly in hotel rooms, over the past four to five years was starting to bear fruit.
Mr Perks said the completion of the motorway link between Orewa and Puhoi next year would boost tourist numbers further still.
The owners of the boutique Flagstaff Lodge in Russell said guest numbers had increased every year over the past three summers, and expected bookings of up to 80 per cent in the first quarter of 2008.
Haruru Falls Resort, which was badly hit by the March flood and only reopened this month, is already fully booked.
Resort owner Jan Gerritsen-Molloy said the units badly damaged by a massive slip during the March 28 floods were booked out even before repairs were complete.
Matauri Bay Holiday Park is preparing to host 1600 campers - the most that could fit at the camping ground - over Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Employee Michelle Pere said that, while interest from campers had been huge, they could only squeeze in 1600.
"Give me a couple of days and this place will be filled to capacity. That's how it will stay until the end of January," she said.
Bay of Islands-based Dive HQ manager Phill Andrews said the sinking of the Canterbury had attracted a huge interest, especially from overseas tourists.
A two-day special which allowed people to dive the Canterbury and the wreck of the Rainbow Warrior at the Cavalli Islands had been a sell-out.
Mr Andrews said cruise ships visiting the Bay of Islands in the 2007/08 season would bring more than 17,000 visitors.