Northland earns $210m from tourists in February

Overseas and Kiwi tourists take advantage of the balmy summer weather in Paihia. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Tourists spent $110 million in Northland in February, up 4 per cent compared with January.

Latest figures released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) show Kiwi tourists contributed $70m, UK visitors $9m, Australia $7m, while the rest of the spending came from other countries.

Tourism earnings in Northland were $1,118m in the year to February which was a 6 per cent year-on-year growth. Visitors spent $515m in the Far North, $481m in Whangarei and $121m in Kaipara.

Tourism spending information for the regions helps inform investment and planning in the tourism industry by providing insight into where domestic and international tourists are spending their money.

With a hotter than expected summer, visitors spent more time in Northland during the best holiday period and continue to do so because the water is still warm at this time of the year.

At $238m, retail sales earned the most tourist dollars in Northland in the year to February, followed by passenger transport ($184m), alcohol, food and beverage ($172m), food and beverage serving services ($163m), fuel and other automotive products ($140m),
accommodation ($94m), other tourism products ($88m), and cultural, recreational and gambling services ($39m).