Foreign tourists lead revival

FILE

Rotorua tourism has had a mixed start to the year, with a big increase in international visitors but a slight decline in domestic visitors.

Commercial accommodation figures for January show Rotorua experienced a 9.2 per cent increase in international visitor nights compared to the same month last year.

Rotorua Association of Motels chairman Barry Mabey said the motel sector had been busy.

"It's been nuts," he said.

"In general there are a lot more visitors around, but there is nothing specific I can pin it down to. The average stay is probably up to five days and six days, there are a few three and four dayers, which is good.

"There has also been a lot of international travellers. It has just been continual."

Agroventures marketing manager Mark Tolley said the company had had a good summer.

"December was busy, January was on par with last year. December was the busiest definitely; December and January are always the busiest and are always the peak season. Domestic is our busiest market. It's been a good one."

The greatest area of growth in Rotorua was from the Chinese market with 5000 more visits this year than January last year.

For the same period, visits by North Americans were also on the rise, up 3000 visits or 27 per cent.

However, domestic visitor nights in Rotorua's commercial accommodation for January 2015 were down 4.3 per cent.

The amount of electronic card transactions in Rotorua increased by three per cent for the month.

Destination Rotorua general manager Oscar Nathan said Rotorua's international performance for January was exceptionally good.

He said the decline in domestic visitors could have been a result of fewer school holidays falling in January this year versus last year.

Skyline Rotorua general manager Bruce Thomasen said it had been a busy summer.

"We have had our biggest December ever and biggest January ever. February was solid again, too, with the Chinese New Year.

"It's great weather, it's the Chinese New Year and events like the bike festival ... It's a combination of all of these demands to get us to the biggest February ever. I am expecting it to stay busy right through to April school holidays.

"The global economy is a lot stronger, most of our markets are strong, so it's just really good."