Tauranga City Council\u2019s foot traffic numbers showed about 178,000 visits in April this year along Maunganui Rd, compared with last year\u2019s 233,000.<\/p>\n
Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Oscar Nathan said Mount Maunganui businesses and the wider community had shown resilience during a difficult and uncertain period.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no question it has been tough for those closest to the maunga, particularly with reduced foot traffic and visitation due to the closure of Mauao.\u201d<\/p>\n
The organisation\u2019s latest data showed the number of domestic visitor days for the wider coastal Bay of Plenty region had dropped 15%.<\/p>\n
Nathan said some of the decline in domestic visitation would have occurred after the January 21 rains. <\/p>\n
However, international visitor days \u2013 which were \u201cbooked further in advance and less changeable\u201d \u2013 were 11% higher than in January. <\/p>\n
A farmer’s market at the urban park Te Papa o Ng\u0101 Manu Porotakataka. Photo \/ Tourism Bay of Plenty<\/p>\n
Nathan said the organisation\u2019s focus was on drawing visitors\u2019 attention to other appealing sites in Mount Maunganui.<\/p>\n
Moturiki (Leisure Island), Hopukiore (Mt Drury)<\/a>, and the Marine Parade Coastal Pathway were open.<\/p>\n Nathan also encouraged locals and visitors to try different eateries.<\/p>\n Mount Mainstreet chairwoman Jo Veale said Mount Maunganui needed its locals out to support its businesses.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are about 270 businesses [in the Mount Business Association], and all of those businesses are people who are not sole traders.\u201d<\/p>\n Veale said they had families, and those families also patronised local businesses. <\/p>\n \u201cTheir dentists are here, their doctors are here, their kids go to school here, they shop at the local supermarket.\u201d<\/p>\n She said Mount Maunganui was not only a tourist destination; \u201cit\u2019s a humming little living community\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s who people will be supporting by coming down here and spending.\u201d<\/p>\n She called it a \u201cdomino effect\u201d. <\/p>\n Veale said a project was in the works to attract \u201cfriends of the Mount\u201d \u2013 visitors who lived within one hour or so of Mount Maunganui.<\/p>\n Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Kristy Phillips said members had reported less foot traffic<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cSome operators are reporting declines of around 30% in customers, even during what should have been peak summer trading.\u201d<\/p>\n Phillips said this operating environment was different to other hospitality-related disruptions.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very localised and tied to a specific event.\u201d<\/p>\n She said the closure of Mauao<\/a> had a flow-on effect across the hospitality sector.<\/p>\n \u201cThe industry in this area is reliant on foot traffic and tourism.\u201d<\/p>\n She said businesses were tightening their staff requirements and adjusting trading hours.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re able, we encourage people to head out and support the local businesses that add so much to make the place what it is.\u201d<\/p>\nThe main landslide on Mauao on April 11, 2026. Photo \/ Alyse Wright <\/p>\n
Paddle boarders at Pilot Bay, Mount Maunganui. Photo \/ Anna Heath<\/p>\n