Rugby World Cup: Northland hopes to score from Cup tourists

The Bay of Islands. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Northland tourism and business leaders are banking on the region's proximity to Auckland, rather than its two matches, to produce the biggest slice of a World Cup windfall.

Whangarei secured two Cup matches after $18.5 million of ratepayer and taxpayer money was used to upgrade Okara Park stadium into a regional events centre.

Because the matches are between the low-ranked and poorly supported teams of Tonga, Japan and Canada, they will generate an expected economic benefit of only $8.9 million.

Like other regions hosting lesser matches, Northland is counting on general touring by Cup supporters to produce its biggest economic boost.

That will be worth $27.7 million to the region, according to an assessment by Northland 2011, a company formed by several regional agencies for the tournament.

"A lot of visitors in Auckland will be hosted by friends and relatives, and Northland has always been a destination for many of those people," said Northland 2011 regional co-ordinator Stewart McElwain.

The region's total economic gain of $36.6 million is based on projected visitor numbers of 25,000.

Mr McElwain now believes that number is conservative, because of Christchurch's quarter-finals shifting to Auckland.

"It may change some people's travel plans, in that we may see some different supporters travelling north."

Around 30 festivals had been planned during the tournament, ranging from the Ruakaka races and a seafood festival in Paihia.

He admitted Northland would compete with other regions surrounding Auckland for tourists.

Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard forecast in January that the World Cup could add about $700 million to the national economy.

But University of Auckland economics professor Tim Hazledine has put the real money-in-pocket benefits to New Zealand at a much lower $150 million.

The secretary of the Whangarei Motel Association, Kate Neal, said it was difficult to tell what the effect of the Cup would be, but she wasn't "hearing very much buzz and excitement at all".