Hawke’s Bay’s ‘miserable weather’ drags Splash Planet summer visitor numbers down

Splash Planet is among the outdoor pools in Hawke's Bay taking a hit in visitor numbers, with the past week's temperatures 6C lower than normal, according to MetService. Photo / Warren Buckland

A bummer summer is hitting Hastings District Council in the pocket, with 12,864 fewer visitors to the city’s Splash Planet amusement park, meaning a drop in revenue of $320,000 (excluding GST) already.

Hastings District Council aquatics manager Tom Page said that up until Christmas Day, the numbers using the outdoor facilities were very similar to last year.

“However the miserable weather we have had since then has undoubtedly had an impact on both Splash Planet and Havelock North’s Village Pools,” Page said.

“That rough weather is also likely why we have seen higher use of the indoor facilities at Clive and Flaxmere.

“What we are hoping for now is some real summer weather, so we can all get out and enjoy the water, at whichever facility we prefer.

“Until the season is finished we will not know if the total revenue budget has been met at Splash Planet.

“There is still time, weather permitting, for the revenue budget to be met. In the meantime staff are reducing expenditure, where possible, to mitigate the loss, with the intention that the net effect will be minimised,” Page said.

Figures were compared from December 1, 2023, to January 8, 2024, and December 1, 2024, to January 8, 2025.

A big increase in visitors to the Flaxmere indoor pools was recorded as swimmers sought out some warm water, with 682 more visitors in the 2024/25 period (1605 in total) compared to the same time last year with a total of 923. The Clive Indoor pool also had an increase with 1670 for 2024/25 and 1501 in 2023/24.

At the outdoor pool in Havelock North there were 2956 fewer visitors (8641 in 23/24 and 5685 in 24/25).

At Ocean Spa in Napier, 2773 fewer people visited over the same period with a total of 24,714 from December 1 to January 8, while the same period last summer saw 27,487 visitors.

At the Napier Aquatic Centre there were 338 fewer visitors, with the total for the first period standing at 17,435 and the second 17,097.

It’s been a wet, cold summer in Hawke’s Bay so far, with snow even making a rare summer appearance on top of the Ruahine and Kaweka Ranges on January 5.

However, MetService forecaster Devlin Linden said there was always hope, and temperatures “would warm up a touch in the next few weeks”.

“The low pressure in the Pacific Ocean is driving southerlies into Hawke’s Bay,” Linden said.

“Hawke’s Bay has been exposed to the worst of these conditions.”

He said the past week had seen temperatures of 6C lower than normal for this time of year.

“There’s still a bit more rain or moisture around than normal in the coming weeks. But the pressure in the Pacific is moving on with warmer temperatures coming from the Tasman. Cross your fingers for February.”

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.