Tourism Spending Goes Up In South Canterbury

Tourism spending in South Canterbury has topped $333 million so far this year.

The latest Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) have revealed that spending in South Canterbury has continued its upward trajectory.​

The new figures show $38.3 million was spent by tourists in South Canterbury in June, bringing the total tourist spend for the year to $333.16 million.

It was an increase of three per cent from the same period in 2015, when $322.6 million was injected into the local economy.

Tekapo's Earth and Sky has been one of the businesses boosted by the tourism influx.

General manager Margaret Munro said business had been growing each winter since she took on the role in 2008.

The surge during what had traditionally been the shoulder season for tourism operators was a good sign, she said.

"There are more tourists, now they can't get accommodation or the itineraries they want in summer, that's pushing them into our shoulder season."

Additional international flights arriving in Christchurch during winter had also had a profound effect at spreading tourist numbers across the year, rather than during the summer months, she said.

The booming business also meant more security for staff.

Earth and Sky was now able to offer staff 12 month contracts, rather than just summer work, Munro said.

The latest figures show New Zealand tourists continue to be the biggest spenders in South Canterbury, contributing $28.98 million in June.

They were followed by Australian visitors, who spent $3 million.

Retail sales topped the list of products that attracted the most spending in June, with fuel and automotive products, and food and beverage serving services rounding out the top three.

The tourism boom has been described as a "good problem to have" in the Mackenzie District, with the council looking to improve infrastructure such as public toilets to cope with the influx.

However, questions have been raised about whether Timaru has been doing enough to capitalise on the visitors heading to its High Country neighbour.

During a recent presentation in Timaru, Christchurch Airport chief executive and former Tourism New Zealand deputy chairman Malcolm Johns said the town needed to find its own story.

Citing Christchurch as an example, he said the earthquakes had been unique to the city, as was its service to Scott Base in Antarctica, and those 'stories' had been used to help market the city effectively.

In terms of Timaru, he said as soon as he arrived he had immediately noticed the town still had its heritage buildings.

This was an obvious, under-utilised asset, he said.

"Immediately you can see how [Timaru] could add into the Mackenzie-Christchurch equation."

MBIE manager of sector trends Peter Ellis said that in the year to June 2016, international visitors spent $1.2 billion, up 10 per cent compared with the year to June 2015.

Domestic tourism spending was also on the rise, up two per cent to $1.8 billion.

Tourism spending in Canterbury for the month of June was up five per cent, he said.

Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett said the figures showed it had been a strong start to winter for the sector.

Otago led the way with $3.2 billion in spending by domestic and international visitors, an 11 per cent increase on June 2015.

Nelson increased 10 per cent to $299 million, followed by Auckland with an eight per cent increase to $6.7 billion.

"It's fantastic to see the whole country benefiting from the tourism sector in June," Bennett said.

"These latest results are a testament to the hard work and innovation of the tourism sector, and also towns and cities right across New Zealand that are doing smart things to show off their own unique piece of paradise."