Year Book 2020

TOURISM:
A critical component in the
Bay’s recovery
BY KRISTIN DUNNE,
Kristin Dunne is the chief executive of
Tourism Bay of Plenty
THE IMPORTANCE OF
TOURISM HAS never
been more appreciated
than it is now. The
COVID-19 pandemic
has shown us how far
the visitor economy
stretches into all corners of New Zealand.
The country’s largest export-earner is
comprised of activities, accommodation,
transport, aviation, both natural and built
attractions, hospitality and retail. We have
welcomed the government’s support
as an acknowledgement of the huge
contribution that tourism makes to our
national economy.
Tourism will be a critical component
of our nation’s economic recovery,
especially for the regions of New
Zealand. Many of the Coastal Bay of
Plenty’s tourism businesses are owneroperator
and we know they invest their
heart and soul into the experiences they
deliver for our manuhiri, our visitors.
Although the businesses are mostly
KRISTIN DUNNE
small, the Coastal Bay of Plenty tourism
economy is not. To the year ending
March 2019, there were more than 8,000
jobs directly employed by our local
tourism industry that are at stake.
As I’m sure all New Zealanders feel, I’m
grateful that our country could safely
open up relatively quickly so that Kiwis
could start exploring Aotearoa again with
a renewed appreciation for its beauty.
Domestic visitors are the Coastal Bay
of Plenty’s most significant market and
so we’re pouring much of our efforts
into drawing our Kiwi manuhiri back.
For the time being, we will be relying
on the strength of our domestic market
and it is vital to our economy. Domestic
visitor spend reached $864 million to the
year-ending March, 2020, comprising
77.9 percent of the Coastal Bay of Plenty’s
total visitor spend of $1.109 billion.
The Coastal Bay of Plenty is a place
with everything Kiwis love in a holiday
destination – it is beautiful and beachy
with a warm maritime climate and a
flourishing foodie scene. Visitors come
44 | YEAR BOOK 2020