Her report said rather than criticising cruise travel, Hawke's Bay needed to look at ways it could extract the cruise dollar on more experiences and excursions in Napier and Hawke's Bay. The experience needed to be strong enough to ensure visitors returned at a later date.
Ms Dundas was also asked to report on why commercial accommodation was in decline, especially in Napier, over the past five years. "The decline is not just specific to Napier. Commercial accommodation across New Zealand is facing similar declines and much of this is based around the economic climate we have been operating in since 2008, as well as more competition in the market.
"There is simply more choice for consumers. This, combined with a slowdown in tourism generally, means visitors spread themselves across more options, which includes staying with friends and family."
There were fewer visitors from the traditional UK and US markets, which Hawke's Bay had relied on heavily in the past.
There were fewer corporate and leisure travellers as well as conference delegates, which were among the main groups using commercial accommodation.
Ms Dundas said the best way to reverse the trend was to create more demand for the region by marketing Hawke's Bay's story to future visitors.
"This, of course, doesn't guarantee more of those nights spent in commercially classified beds. Consumers will determine where they stay based on a number of factors, including price, location, quality and reviews.
"Naturally, Napier will benefit because it has a concentrated number of properties available."
Ms Dundas said Hawke's Bay Tourism could not reverse the trend along.
"The most important piece of the puzzle is understanding our market and our tourism offering. We should be considering the needs of a changing consumer, their wants and needs, and adapting to ensure we are a competitive region."
