Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas will be visiting Tauranga this month. Photo \/ Royal Caribbean<\/p>\n
It is a sister ship of Ovation of the Seas, the largest cruise ship to have visited Tauranga and New Zealand<\/a>.<\/p>\n A value of cruise tourism study on the 2023\/24 season showed cruise ships contributed $111.8 million to the region\u2019s economy<\/a> and generated employment for 784 people.<\/p>\n \u201cThis included $35.5m in cruise passenger spending, $2.9m in crew spending, $16.3m in cruise ship expenditure and $36.1m in visitor sector wages.\u201d<\/p>\n Russell Christian from Wicked Wanders said the cruise season had a \u201cmassive\u201d impact on his business. <\/p>\n \u201cProbably 90% of my business comes through cruise ships,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Wicked Wanders hosts small tours around the region, including day trips to Rotorua<\/a> and Hobbiton, hikes at P\u0101p\u0101moa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park and McLaren Falls, boat tours at Waimangu Volcanic Valley to see where the Pink and White Terraces were, and kiwifruit tasting at local orchards.<\/p>\n Christian bought the business in 2019 and said despite being immediately plunged into a pandemic, it has recovered \u201cfantastically\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been increasing exponentially every year.\u201d<\/p>\n He said tourists on his trips often commented on how friendly they think New Zealanders are, and some North Americans compared Tauranga to Hawaii.<\/p>\n \u201cI get to re-appreciate where I live through the eyes of other people, which is really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n V8 Trike Tours co-owner Nigel Busbridge said he thought last season would be his last, but he\u2019s back and would probably stick around for next season too.<\/p>\n The 10-year-old business has become a local favourite, touring the sights around Tauranga and Mount Maunganui from the back of the signature motorcycles.<\/p>\n \u201cThe reviews speak for themselves,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Busbridge said about 85% of business came from the cruise ship season, with 20-30 tours each day a ship was docked.<\/p>\n \u201cOur most popular tour is the one-hour V8 Thriller, which goes along from the Mount up to P\u0101p\u0101moa and then back through Welcome Bay back to the Mount again.\u201d<\/p>\n Mount Hot Pools head of aquatics Matt Strange said winter was its busiest season and the cruise season boosted business during the summer.<\/p>\n \u201cAbout 60% of our users are residents and 40% are domestic and international tourists.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the most common visitors were those on repeat trips who had travelled around the region in previous visits and wanted to stay and enjoy Tauranga and Mount Maunganui<\/a> for longer. <\/p>\n Being one of the only hot ocean water complexes in the world, Strange said it was a special experience.<\/p>\n \u201cThey love the fact that they can soak in hot ocean water and look up at Mauao.\u201d<\/p>\n Bay Explorer owner Emily Dee offers a daily tour around the coast to see ocean wildlife, including dolphins, seals, whales, sharks, orca and more.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always great to see visitors discovering how much there is to experience right here on our doorstep \u2013 not just heading straight off to Rotorua.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a nice and simple half-day cruise, so they\u2019ve got time to go and explore the Mount as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Tauranga Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular said visitors to Tauranga and the Mount were warmly welcomed into the city. <\/p>\n \u201cCruise ship passengers add diversity and vibrancy and boost our local hospitality and retail sectors. It\u2019s great to see the start of the cruise season.\u201d<\/p>\n Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said the region plays an important part in cruise tourism, which is also critical in supporting the Government\u2019s goals of restoring visitor numbers to pre-pandemic levels and doubling the value of tourism exports by 2034.<\/p>\n Related work over the past six months included a ministers\u2019 roundtable with cruise and port sector representatives in July \u201cto discuss how we could all make the most of the opportunities and remove the barriers\u201d.<\/p>\nTourism Bay of Plenty general manager Oscar Nathan. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Wicked Wanders owner Russell Christian hosts tours around the region. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
V8 Trike Tours New Zealand co-owner Nigel Busbridge. Photo \/ Andrew Warner<\/p>\n
Mount Hot Pools head of aquatics Matt Strange. Photo \/ Ayla Yeoman<\/p>\n
Bay Explorer owner Emily Dee. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Tauranga Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular says cruise ship passengers deliver a boost to hospitality and retail businesses.<\/p>\n
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n