The latest monthly Regional Tourism Estimates show a strong start to the winter season with the Bay of Plenty, including Rotorua, seeing a seven per cent increase in tourism spend.
The latest Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) today show tourism spendfor the Bay of Plenty is estimated to be $1.6 billion for the year to June 2016, up seven per cent compared with the year to June 2015.
MBIE manager of sector trends Peter Ellis said of the tourism spend in the year to June 2016, international visitors spent $493 million (up six per cent compared with the year to June 2015), and domestic tourists spent $1.1 billion (up seven per cent) in that period.
"When it comes to the monthly expenditure, tourism spend in Bay of Plenty for the month of June 2016 is up 17 per cent compared with the month of June 2015," Mr Ellis said.
"Tourism spend information for the regions helps inform investment and planning in the tourism industry by providing further insight into where both domestic and international tourists are spending their money."
The Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates measure the expenditure of international and domestic visitors in regions in New Zealand.
