{"id":403534,"date":"2026-04-29T16:50:03","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T16:50:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/403534\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T16:50:03","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T16:50:03","slug":"sunlive-campaign-aims-to-bring-visitors-back-after-storms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/403534\/","title":{"rendered":"SunLive – Campaign aims to bring visitors back after storms"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Bay of Plenty will receive targeted marketing support as part of a wider Government investment of more than $800,000 to help regions recover from severe summer weather.<\/p>\n

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said the funding was designed to support regional tourism, including helping destinations rebuild visitor confidence following the January storms.<\/p>\n

As part of the package, $10,000 has been approved for an autumn business\u2011events marketing campaign in the Bay of Plenty, aimed at attracting visitors back to the region and supporting local tourism operators.<\/p>\n

Tourism Bay of Plenty destination head Mary Tolley said their goal was to attract and increase the number of business events coming into the Bay\u2019s coastal region, particularly during the off-peak season.<\/p>\n

Tolley said this would help the visitor sector to deliver a stronger, more sustainable economic impact, supporting local businesses and creating wider benefits for the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a new business events strategy, Out of the Boardroom and Into the Blue, which successfully positions Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty as a high-performing destination.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur main point of difference is that we extend beyond traditional conference venues by highlighting people, place, and purpose to create experiences that inspire, rebalance and deliver meaningful business outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"

\nTourism Bay of Plenty destination head Mary Tolley. Photo \/ Tourism Bay of Plenty<\/p>\n

Tolley said the $10,000 funding allocation would enable the delivery of a targeted campaign that aligned with their core strategic pillars: Culture and Manaakitanga, Ocean and Wellness, and Food and Flavour.<\/p>\n

\u201cTogether, these pillars showcase what makes our region distinctive, inviting event managers and conference organisers to rethink what their events could look like in the Bay of Plenty.\u201d<\/p>\n

A key priority was to encourage event organisers in New Zealand to host their upcoming business events in areas like Mount Maunganui to support businesses impacted by the January weather event<\/a> and to assist their recovery through increased visitation and spend.<\/p>\n

Tolley said, as the funding had only just been announced, Tourism Bay of Plenty was still in the planning stages.<\/p>\n

She said it was tagged as \u201can autumn marketing activation, so we will move swiftly\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re working closely with Mount Mainstreet to identify opportunities to drive increased foot traffic to local businesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the initiatives, tied to this funding, will be to ensure conference delegates have bespoke reasons to include Mount Maunganui retailers and eateries in their business event itineraries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wider investment<\/p>\n

Upston said that alongside infrastructure repairs, targeted marketing funding has also been approved to help affected regions rebuild visitor confidence and support tourism recovery.<\/p>\n

The wider investment included funding to repair several of New Zealand\u2019s Great Ride cycle trails damaged during recent weather events.<\/p>\n

An initial $300,000 was being spent on safety work to reopen the Hauraki Rail Trail, while $110,000 would go toward repairing 50km of the Waikato River Trail.<\/p>\n

\"The

\nThe Hauraki Rail Trail. Photo \/ Chris Parker<\/p>\n

Further south, Tasman\u2019s Great Taste Trail would receive almost $427,000 to restore sections damaged by extreme weather, bringing total Government investment in that trail\u2019s repairs to just over $2 million.<\/p>\n

Upston said more than two million people used the 23 Great Rides of Ng\u0101 Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails each year, contributing about $1.28 billion to regional economies.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese trails are a long\u2011standing partnership between central and local government and the communities that host them, and today\u2019s investment reinforces that commitment,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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