Spending increases in the Taupo District

Spending in the Taupo District is up 7.1 per cent on the same time last year according to the latest Marketview report out this week.

The report is commissioned every quarter by Taupo District Council and gives an insight into retail spending in the district for the three months to December 2016. It looks at who is spending, where they are spending and compares spending in the district to the rest of New Zealand.

Rotorua residents contributed to the increase over the quarter, spending 22.6 per cent more on the same quarter a year earlier. Mayor David Trewavas said it was great to see shoppers coming from out of town to contribute to our local economy.

"Rotorua is our fastest growing consumer group and it is fantastic shoppers from one of our closest neighbouring districts are coming to visit - and shop - regularly," he said.

Locals remained the biggest contributors with 47.5 per cent of the quarter's spend to a total of $80.25 million. International spend also rose significantly, up 22.6 per cent, and Kiwi travellers spent 8.8 per cent more on the same quarter in 2015 while in the Taupo District.

The accommodation sector had the largest growth, up 16.9 per cent from the same quarter in 2015, and cardholders spent $23.05 million on food and beverages, up 14.5 per cent.

"The Taupo District is a great place to visit and stay a while, as these figures clearly show," Mr Trewavas said. "What's also pleasing to see is it's not only our visitors who are spending more, but locals are continuing to support local businesses, spending almost three per cent more than the same time in 2015."

Each quarterly Marketview report looks at electronic card retail transactions over a three month period and compares data to the amount spent in the same period last year. The latest Marketview report is available online at www.taupo.govt.nz/marketview-report.