As a Tauranga resident who has recently arrived back in Tauranga off a cruise ship I now know why so few tourists elect to take the shuttle into Tauranga CBD and opt to go to Rotorua, Matamata or Mount Maunganui, much smaller towns who understand the value of tourism.
We arrived on New Year's Day, as did another cruise ship. One would think the potential of having 4000-plus visitors visit our city on one day would inspire our local officials, shopkeepers, community groups and clubs to show a little initiative, even if it is a public holiday.
One thing we can be sure of is those visitors that did choose to visit Tauranga's CBD will be telling all their friends and family not to bother.
The shuttle experience: an ordinary bus that cost $15 for the return trip. The shuttle's route into Tauranga CBD after leaving State Highway 2 is Dive Crescent, appropriately named, The Strand, which housed a number of homeless with their mattress in shop doorways, and then finally The Strand reclamation where visitors disembarked.
Prior to disembarking to a gorse-covered railway fence, the visitors were advised that as it was a public holiday only a few shops were open. We only saw one. What a huge let-down from the rundown entrance to a deserted CBD! If Tauranga can't do better than this then we don't deserve the tourist dollar.
