Encouraging visitors to travel to New Zealand’s regions outside the traditional summer peak is not just good tourism strategy – it is good regional economic policy.
Nicola Greenwell
Recent investment through the Government’s Regional Tourism Boost fund, including funding supporting the Hamilton & Waikato Tourism led One Flight campaign, recognises the important role regional gateways and shoulder-season travel play in building a more resilient visitor economy. The focus is not simply on attracting visitors, but on where they go, how long they stay, and the value they generate for regional communities.
April through to June is a particularly important period for regions like Waikato and the wider central and western North Island. While visitor numbers are traditionally lower than during summer, the opportunities are significant. Travellers during this period often stay longer, travel more widely, and engage more deeply with local experiences – from accommodation and attractions to hospitality, retail and transport.
Direct air connectivity into Hamilton from Australia provides a strong platform to support this type of travel. Flying straight into a regional gateway places visitors closer to their holiday from the outset, reduces pressure on major hubs, and encourages immediate dispersal through surrounding regions.
Hamilton Airport with Air NZ and Jetstar planes. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
From Hamilton, travellers can explore the mighty Waikato, including destinations such as Raglan, and continue on to neighbouring regions like Taranaki, Ruapehu and Taupō.
This type of regional movement matters. When visitors spend time in our towns and regions, they spend money across a wide range of local businesses. That activity supports cashflow during traditionally quieter months, strengthens business confidence, and helps operators maintain continuity rather than relying solely on short peak-season surges.
Raglan
At its core, this is about jobs. A more stable and predictable flow of visitors support employment across hospitality, accommodation, attractions, transport and retail. It enables businesses to retain skilled staff, invest in training, and plan ahead with greater certainty. Over time, this contributes to more vibrant towns and communities, and stronger regional economies.
Seasonality has long been one of tourism’s biggest challenges. The solution is not simply to chase volume, but to attract the right visitors at the right time, with experiences to match the season. Shoulder-season travel offers a different proposition – fewer crowds, authentic regional experiences, and a pace that suits many international visitors, particularly from Australia.
The Regional Tourism Boost fund reflects a growing understanding that regional tourism success depends on collaboration, connectivity and timing. By encouraging visitors to explore New Zealand’s regions between April and June, we are supporting businesses when they need it most – and ensuring tourism continues to deliver real, lasting benefits for our communities.
Tourism
