Did you explore the mighty Waikato over the holiday?
Nicola Greenwell
Our December column encouraged you to enjoy Waikato; to share your favourite spots with visiting friends and family. There’s still time to discover the many incredible things to see, do, taste, and experience across our region.
Visit a new attraction, try a local eatery, or attend one of our many events. Your choices make a difference, helping to sustain and grow a thriving region we can all be proud of.
At Hamilton & Waikato Tourism, our mission is to attract leisure visitors and business events, encouraging visitors to explore further, stay longer, and create lasting memories. We work closely with tourism operators to ensure visitors have great experiences, which inspires return visits and generates positive stories about the Waikato to be shared far and wide.
Some think tourism only benefits the visitor sector. However, a vibrant place to visit is a vibrant place to live. The attractions and experiences developed for visitors – from world-class destinations like Hobbiton Movie Set and Hamilton Gardens to our cycle trails and event venues – enrich the lives of residents too.
Hamilton Gardens, Ancient Egyptian Garden. Photo: Hamilton and Waikato Tourism
Hospitality and retail, which serves locals, also relies on the visitor economy. We saw this firsthand during the pandemic – businesses were impacted. Visitors and residents together help sustain these sectors, creating vibrant communities for everyone to enjoy.
Tourism doesn’t just bring people here for holidays. Tourism is the shopfront to the mighty Waikato, enticing investors, employees and students.
Often, a visitor’s first experience of the Waikato is through a business event or conference. If hosted well and leave with great memories, they’re more likely to return for leisure – or consider the Waikato as a place to live, work, or invest. A vibrant, welcoming region can inspire people to send their children here to study, relocate for career opportunities, or build businesses that contribute to the local economy.
Spend from visitors is new money into the region, spent across activities, accommodation, retail, hospitality etc. Which in turn is distributed to employees, suppliers and providers, and their employees.
Hobbiton
The key point: tourism generates NEW money into the community.
The visitor sector directly employs around 12,600 people across the Waikato, generating $44 million in earnings each month.
While tourism is not the primary export earner within our region, tourism industry is an export earner and holds significant potential for growth and diversification.
The vibrancy and vitality brought by tourism ripple throughout our communities, supporting jobs, businesses, and infrastructure. What’s good for visitors is good for those of us who call Waikato home.
Together, let’s celebrate and support the mighty Waikato – a region that’s not just a great place to visit but a fantastic place to live, work, and invest. Share your experiences, be a great Waikato Ambassador!
