“Our points of difference are our heritage, our arts and the awa, and each of those I think add to our identity, and they make us beautiful in our own right.
“You can’t replicate heritage because you can’t just build old buildings.”
Tripe said Te Awa Tupua represented who Whanganui was in a very strong way.
“You can stand in parts of Whanganui and see the mountains, the river and the sea all in one.”
Whanganui & Partners chief executive Jonothan Sykes said Whanganui had been the number one location for domestic tourism growth three months in a row.
“It came as no surprise to us.
“We’ve seen the numbers of visitors and visitor spending increase recently.
“That’s experienced in the city but also beyond that in places like Bushy Park and Paloma Gardens.”
Sykes said there were many elements to city life that made Whanganui a strong contender for the most beautiful small city.
“Things like the rejuvenation of Drews Ave, the reopening coming up of the Sarjeant Gallery and the beautification of the shopping area on Victoria Ave.
“Also, within our art scene, we’ve got a number of different galleries.
“I think we know that Whanganui is a place of incredible beauty, but also because we recently won the Unesco City of Design [status] that really helped Whanganui be elevated above others.”
He said the awa was the centre of everything in Whanganui.
“It’s what brings people together, and the recognition of Te Awa Tupua strengthens that.”
Tripe said as New Plymouth was a neighbouring city there was a bit of friendly rivalry.
“May the best city win.
“We’ve got a very good chance, I think New Plymouth is a wonderful place, but I’m a bit biased about Whanganui.”
For the most beautiful small city category, cities had to have a large urban area and 30,000 to 99,999 residents.
The Beautiful Awards winners will be announced on November 9.
Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.
