Northland expecting a big tourist boost

A predicted long hot summer in Northland is expected to have Aucklanders and overseas tourists flocking to the region. Photo / File

Northland can expect a multi-million dollar boost from wealthy Aucklanders and overseas tourists over the coming months as growing visitor numbers continue to keep cash registers ringing.

Northland Inc general manager regional promotions, Paul Davis, said Northland guest nights were up 6.1 per cent in the year to the the end of September compared to the same period last year.

"We've been in a growth pattern since late 2013 and we'd expect that growth to continue through the 2015-16 summer."

Mr Davis said Northland hosted many events over summer designed to give visitors things to do. Waitangi Day also always brought a lot of visitors to Northland. The long, hot summer forecast would also help visitor numbers, he said and Auckland was Northland's largest market and the growth in Auckland's housing market was creating capital wealth.

"A lot of Aucklanders are feeling more wealthy and are more likely to spend some of that wealth on travel."

Additionally, more international visitors were coming to New Zealand for long holidays, allowing them plenty of time to get to Northland.

Those visitors were coming from Australia, the UK, Germany, USA and Canada, said Mr Davis.

Statistics New Zealand figures show Northland had 793,000 guest nights last summer. That compared to 338,000 the previous spring and 403,000 the following autumn. A guest night refers to one guest spending one night in a hotel, motel, backpacker establishment or holiday park.

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment figures show an estimated $661 million was spent on tourism in Northland in the year to March 2015.

The spending included $116 million on fuel and other automotive products and $112 on alcohol, food and beverages.

Tourism Industry Association New Zealand chief executive Chris Roberts said this summer was set to break records for the tourism industry nationally.