Kristin Dunne Tourism Bay of Plenty

Who enjoyed the National Jazz Festival last weekend?

If you were amongst the 30, 000 people who soaked up the atmosphere, you will know what a great event it is for the city.

With the onset of daylight saving and the next long weekend not until June, you could say it was the ‘last hurrah' for the local tourism industry before winter sets in.

An uneven spread of visitors across the year has always been a challenge for Tauranga, where our population swells over the summer months, and quietens down considerably during winter.

This ‘make hay while the sun shines' approach is not enough to sustain businesses year-round. For our local economy to really prosper we need to grow tourism throughout the year, with the right visitors, at the right time.

Major events like the National Jazz Festival and focussed campaign activity which stimulates visitation outside of the peak summer months are critical.

With the right strategic approach, tourism has the potential to generate a much broader range of benefits that underwrite the region's economic and social transformation, ultimately providing greater social amenities and higher living standards.

Our bid to become a ‘Destination Manager', with additional funding from Tauranga City Council, would enable us to manage sustainable tourism growth - so businesses can ‘make hay' all year round.

To show your support for our Long Term Plan request, please make a submission by April 16 at www.goodquestion.nz, or for more information on our Visitor Economy Strategy email admin@bayofplentynz.com