Rena spill: Bay tourist industry braced for sharp summer slump

The stricken container ship Rena. Photo / Maritime New Zealand

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Tourist-based companies in Tauranga are preparing themselves for heavy losses following the Rena shipping disaster.

Fishing charter companies, resorts, motels, surf schools and water-based recreational activity companies say they are already starting to feel the effects.

Tauranga Motel Association president Lloyd Stone said it was a tragic situation not only for the people of the region, but also for its tourism.

"Naturally it will affect tourism very heavily. They're saying it will [take] weeks and months to work things out. That means it's going to carry on through summer - our peak season."

Tourism in the coastal Bay of Plenty region - not including Rotorua - generates about $450 million a year and is the fifth-biggest contributor to Tauranga's GDP. Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Glenn Ormsby said it was still too early to say how much businesses would lose, but some holidaymakers would be changing their plans.

"The water is very important but what we're saying is that there's still a lot of shops, cafes and restaurants. We're still open for business and we need you to come."

Mr Stone, owner of the Bethlehem Motor Inn, said he was expecting a drop of about 30 to 40 per cent in normal summer trade.

"People come to Tauranga to enjoy the beach and sun. But they're not going to be swimming this summer."

Russ Hawkins, owner of Fat Boy Charters - which takes fishing, diving and sightseeing tours around Tauranga - said he was expecting a financial shortfall this summer. "People will think, 'Oh, don't want to go there now."'

Mr Hawkins, who has lived in Tauranga for about 40 years, said the Astrolabe Reef was something many sightseeing and fishing charter companies took tourists to.

"In the summer time, it's fantastic. There's just thousands of kahawai and snapper. We've also seen the odd striped marlin.

"People have said to me that they haven't seen anything like that around the world."