Despite a challenging start to 2020, data obtained for the June 2020 period shows strong visitor spend across the region
This includes total spend for June being up 3.4% ($12.1 million) for the same period in 2019. Contributing to this increase has been the following hotspots:
SH99 Riverton to Tuatapere
Recorded spend along this route is up by 31.6% ($267,000) for June, with strong growth from domestic markets, including Christchurch with an increase of 332%, Queenstown up 88.5% and those travelling from the Clutha area up 137.7%. In terms of industry, this growth is largely coming from retail and food and beverage services.
SH6 Invercargill to Kingston
Spend along this route is $699k, up 18.9% for June, with strong growth from the Auckland market – up 402%. This would seem to indicate Aucklanders may be visiting Invercargill before heading to Queenstown or vice versa. Other domestic markets are also up significantly for the reporting period, including Christchurch by 65%, Queenstown by 54% and Dunedin by 90%. All industry types are up, but particularly food and beverage which has increased by 90%.
Gore township
Recorded for the Gore township is $2.74m, up 7.9% for June. Clutha and Central Otago are the strongest contributing markets but regions with a smaller base are also showing significant growth percentages – Nelson/ Tasman up 478%, Taranaki up 540%, Rotorua up 504%, Gisborne up by 5955%.
Industry-wise retail and food and beverage services are up but other categories are significantly down – accommodation down by 51% and arts and recreation by 45%. This may a result of the high numbers associated with these industries during the 2019 Gold Guitar Awards
Invercargill City
Tourism spend for the month is $7.24m, up by 1% for June. The domestic market accounted for this growth – up by 4.3% overall. By region the strongest growth has come from our the domestic market of Christchurch – up by 16.8%, Queenstown also showed good growth, increasing by 40%.
Dunedin was down by 10.6% and Auckland 19.3%. By industry, retail is up by 11% and all other industries are down – with the biggest decline coming from transport and travel services- down 68% on last June.