Opinion: Five-star accommodation could mean better publicity for Tauranga and Bay of Plenty

Cardi B on stage at Bay Dreams. Photo / File

There are many things Tauranga needs.

Better roads, improved public transport and a higher standard of kerbside recycling - we've all heard concerns around these issues before.

But what we don't hear much about is our need for more luxury accommodation in the city.

The Bay hosts some major events, especially over summer, attracting big celebrities to Tauranga. These celebrities share their thoughts about our city and region with their thousands, hundreds of thousands and even millions of followers on social media.

Already this month Cardi B - probably the biggest current star we've hosted so far - has performed at Bay Dreams, along with the long list of other acts who were part of the line-up on January 2.

American rock legends Toto headlined the first A Summer's Day concert series on January 9, joined by fellow American rockers Jefferson Starship and Kiwi icons Dragon and a massive line-up for the second of the series, A Summer's Day Disco, including The Jacksons, Kool & The Gang, The Pointer Sisters, The Village People and the Sounds of the Supremes.

All massive names, there is no doubt these celebrities have millions of fans around the world, watching what they say and do. If they post something about our city, people will take notice. It's a golden marketing opportunity.

But, when we have such massive names in town, there really isn't much variety for them when it comes to having somewhere to stay, which means missing out on maximum exposure of Tauranga and potentially, Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty. We have so much to offer.

We have no five-star hotel in Tauranga and while a decent chunk of the celebrities we host here do spend some time in Tauranga, there are many - Cardi B and The Jacksons included - who do not get to spend much time outside their performance here.

They head back to Auckland, where there are more accommodation options. Obviously, it can also depend on each celebrity's schedule whether they spend more time here, but if it's an option, it can only help showcase everything we have.

If we did have a five-star option for the artists with five-star tastes, we'd be able setting ourselves up to showcase the city and region even further. We could have packages filled with local products showcasing what we have on offer, waiting for them to try.

While Cardi B was in Australia she posted on her Instagram story about the amazing fruit and seafood she tried while there. Call me biased but I'm sure we, in the Bay, could offer her and others a lot more besides.