Record numbers of tourists are continuing to pour into New Zealand’s Western Bay with at least 55,000 people expected to visit the region each month this summer, a 10% rise on 2004.
Tourism Bay of Plenty forecasts estimate that 82,500 people are expected to visit in January alone, these figures only taking into account tourists who stay in commercial accommodation, with about 70 per cent of visitors staying with friends and family instead.
Visitors spent $NZ411 million in the Bay last year and that figure is predicted to have climbed to $NZ420 million by the end of December and $NZ437 million by the end of 2006.
Report by The Mole
