Editorial: Royal visit puts us on map

Everyone has there eye on New Zealand while the royals are here. Photo/File

At the moment all eyes are on New Zealand.

We haven't achieved anything or done anything spectacular. We are simply playing host to some of the royal family.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge landed in Wellington on Monday along with Prince George. They have a packed schedule for their short time in New Zealand and the closest they get to Tauranga is when they officially open the new velodrome in Cambridge.

There is quite a bit of excitement about members of the royal family being in New Zealand. In our office some staff members are planning on taking the trip to see a "real-life princess".

Despite not being able to make the trip, some Tauranga residents are having their own celebrations here. Aspen Rest Home residents and staff will be putting on their best attire on Friday for their own high tea party to acknowledge the royal visit. In royal style, residents and staff will be feasting on traditional high tea sandwiches, cake and bubbly.

The visit has also captured the attention of international media. Reporters, photographers and camera crews are all here to document the royal visit and project images of New Zealand to the rest of the world.

Dan Wootton, a Kiwi entertainment reporter in Britain, says the visit will generate significant media interest internationally and have huge benefits for the country. "New Zealand is going to get a lot out of this actually because what you can guarantee is wallpaper coverage ... this will be on the front page of virtually every national newspaper [in Britain],".

He says coverage includes details about where the royal couple are staying, what they are doing, what Prince George will be wearing and how many outfits the Duchess has brought.

"This is a big deal because wherever they visited first, publicly with Prince George was always going to get massive blanket coverage," Mr Wootton said.

There are some people who think Prince William and wife Catherine shouldn't be here and their visit is a waste of time.

Even if you don't like them or their family, you have to admit the coverage of their New Zealand visit is worth it.