$100,000 boost for Hawke’s Bay events as thousands fly in for summer

This summer in Hawke's Bay is gearing up to be one of the biggest ever. Photo / Paul Taylor

Some of Hawke’s Bay’s biggest summer events have been given a much-needed financial boost as thousands jet into the region this festive season.

Meanwhile, Air New Zealand has said more than 38,000 customers were set to fly into Hawke’s Bay between December 5 and January 31.

Many will be attending popular events, some of which have been given a leg up from a one-off events fund facilitated by Hawke’s Bay Tourism to help get the region’s event industry back to full strength.

“As a result of the continued impact of Cyclone Gabrielle on the Hawke’s Bay visitor economy as well as the region’s events sector, Hawke’s Bay Tourism wanted to ensure the events industry could return to full strength through sustainable growth and increased social benefits to Hawke’s Bay communities,” Hawke’s Bay Tourism CEO Hamish Saxton said.

Nine events received funding from the Hawke’s Bay Events Fund, which was made available by Regional Events Fund funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Event organisers and promoters of 17 events applied to the one-off event fund for no more than $25,000 each, with the full $100,000 allocated among the nine recipients.

Nest Fest returns to Hawke's Bay for a two-day experience in the new year.

Popular music festival Nest Fest, scheduled for January 5 and 6, received a $20,000 boost, while sporting events such as Triathlon NZ’s Hawke’s Bay events and Hawke’s Bay Cricket Camps received $10,000 and $5000 respectively.

As the third-largest contributor to regional GDP after processing/manufacturing and agriculture and employing one in every 10 residents, the visitor economy played an important role in Hawke’s Bay life, Saxton said.

“The Hawke’s Bay Events Fund was the last tranche of Regional Events Fund funding we had available to do this, and sustainable outcomes were targeted by investing in events designed to create the greatest impact for the region and build the sector capability,” he said.

The biggest recipient of the funding was Land Rover Horse of the Year, which received $25,000.

“It is crucial for us to regain our position on the event calendar and develop a collection of content and celebrations to promote both the event and the region,” event manager Sophie Blake said.

“Hawke’s Bay is an ideal location for hosting events, and we are highly grateful for the support provided by this fund, along with both Hastings district and Napier city councils.”

Air New Zealand regional affairs manager Jason Dawson said it was great to see people flock to the region for summer.

“In addition to the thousands of people that will drive to and through Hawke’s Bay, it’s great to see that we will be flying more than 38,000 customers into the region this summer.”

“It’s easy to see why. Who could say no to exploring a Great Wine Capital of the World, the Art Deco architecture, or the variety of award-winning gastronomic experiences? Hawke’s Bay is any culture lover’s dream vacation.”

In November, Hawke’s Bay hosted British superstar Robbie Williams and had its biggest weekend in recent history, with 36,909 domestic visitors and 3222 international visitors recorded in Hawke’s Bay at noon on Sunday, November 12.

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community.