The road to recovery begins

The Hauraki Coromandel region has finally bounced back with spend in January increasing 20% (compared to the same month last year). With SH25A open, the sun shining and beautiful sea conditions an increase is to be expected. For further context Hauraki Coromandel received:

-              $65.88 million in visitor spend for January 2024

-              The 7th highest number of transactions of all regions in NZ

-              The second highest percentage increase in visitor spend of all regions in NZ

-              A higher increase than the national average of 7%

-              The 3rd highest performing January (records date back to 2016)

-              Thames-Coromandel District visitor spend grew 23%

-              Hauraki District visitor spend grew 8%

The data indicates that while Janaury was busy, it hasn’t been the busiest January with 2021 and 2022 coming out on top. Destination Hauraki Coromandel (DHC) would not typically run summer marketing campaigns. However we actively worked to maintain market share during Covid-19 and this summer (with these respective January's being the top 3 for visitor spend).

Please note this Marketview data measures electronic card transactions only, these figures do not account for cash or online bookings.

The Coromandel Cure

Campaign advertising had a brief hiatus during the peak holiday period. The Coromandel Cure is back in action – here’s a few “proof of appearances” as we like to say...

Full page ad - Sunday Star Times

We’ll have a full campaign report once all is done and dusted (April). For now we’ll continue to encourage kiwis to experience #goodforyoursoul during the idyllic months of March and April (aka the endless summer).

Other marketing activity

Alongside the Cure campaign we’ve supported media files such as;

- Nourish Magazine

- Global film crew (foodie stories)

- Tourism New Zealand’s digital collaboration ‘Mahi Tahi” (Cathedral Cove marine experience)

- ...plus TNZ's summer brand shoot

And the list goes on.

The International Trade Marketing season has kicked off with DHC attending a Tourism NZ Connect event. Presentations on Sustainability and Global Insights were followed by 15 meetings with their staff from Australia, UK/Europe, North America, Asia, Global Brand, Digital and more. Aside from reminding everyone we are well and truly back (and accessible), Cathedral Cove was tabled as the last piece of the puzzle in our recovery – particularly to their leadership.

Cathedral Cove

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has announced that reinstating walking access to Cathedral Cove before next summer is a priority. This is welcome news after strong advocacy from stakeholders including the Mercury Bay Business Association, Thames Coromandel District Council, Coromandel MP Scott Simpson and the local tourism industry. The potential for further support, to return the walk as a leading New Zealand visitor experience is an exciting prospect.

New Zealand tourism recovery well underway

Statistics NZ have released their annual Tourism Satellite Account which shows that for the year to March 2023, tourism was generating $37.7 billion from visitor spend, even though this period was in the early stages of Covid recovery. While these figures are historic they indicate the return of international tourism (457% increase in expenditure).

Hauraki Coromandel is now playing catch up as New Zealand hopes to achieve an 85% recovery, of international visitor arrivals compared to pre Covid, by mid 2024 (Forecast courtesy of Tourism Export Council NZ).