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Visitors to the Eastland region will spend more over Waitangi Weekend

Wednesday 4 February 2009, 2:05AM

By Jasons Travel Media

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Sharon Murray
Sharon Murray Credit: Jasons Travel Media

GISBORNE

A recent Jasons survey conducted on more than a thousand people’s holiday plans for Waitangi Weekend showed 25% of visitors to the Eastland region area will be spending more money while away than they did last year.

“This is fantastic news for the accommodation and activity providers of the region,” says Sharon Murray, the local advertising consultant for Jasons Travel Media.

“New Zealand holiday makers are not letting the tougher economic times put them off enjoying their national holiday weekend,” says Sharon.


The survey showed that only 12% of people travelling within NZ believed they would spend less for Waitangi Weekend than they did last year.

“While the economic outlook for 2009 looks bleak, it’s heartening to see that Kiwis will spend more on domestic tourism over Waitangi weekend,” Sharon says. “That’s good news for the tourism industry, as well as for the New Zealand economy”. Kiwis traditionally travel domestically for Waitangi Weekend, and 79% percent of the survey respondents followed this trend.

Of those travelling, 55% were going to travel outside their region over the weekend, with Northland the number one destination. Interestingly, of those visiting Northland, only 2.56% were planning on visiting Waitangi during the weekend. Auckland was the second most popular Waitangi Weekend destination of choice for New Zealanders with the Bay of Plenty third.

The number one choice of accommodation was with family and friends. Motels were the first choice for paid accommodation with holiday parks second choice.

Author: Mary Ansell, General Manager of Operations, Jasons Travel Media Ltd

For further information please contact Matthew Mayne, CEO of Jasons Travel Media on 021 248 2433