Report: Rotorua mountain bikers contribute more than $100m to economy

A new report has found mountain biking brings millions of dollars to the Rotorua economy. Photo / Joel McDowell

A new report has found mountain biking visitors to Rotorua spent a total of $139.8 million in the city last year.

Commissioned by RotoruaNZ, the report assessed the contribution of mountain biking to the local economy, and found that $103.4m was spent by visitors who visited for the sole purpose of mountain biking.

Other visitors who mountain biked while staying in Rotorua for other reasons spent a further $36.4m, a total contribution of $139.8m to the local economy.

RotoruaNZ chief executive Andrew Wilson said the finding underlines how important mountain biking is to the local economy.

"It reinforces the phenomenal benefits that previous investment into mountain biking infrastructure has made to the local economy."

He said Te Pūtake o Tawa Mountain Bike Hub was a prime example of how investment into infrastructure in the form of car parking, toilet and shower facilities provided an opportunity for the private sector to invest into their own businesses in a location that was previously undeveloped and inaccessible to mountain bikers.

Economist Benje Patterson wrote the report and highlighted the impact mountain biking in Rotorua had on jobs.

About 1153 jobs in 2021 could have been supported by mountain bike visitors' spending, and of these jobs, 853 were supported by people whose primary purpose of visiting was to mountain bike.

The report also considered what the return of international visitors could mean for the economy.

The total number of people participating in mountain biking in Rotorua could rise from 154,170 in 2021 to 219,956 in 2026.
Total spend could increase from $139.8m in 2021 to $213.4m in 2026.

Wilson said those findings were particularly exciting as it highlighted opportunities available to the city in terms of future growth potential.

"The findings help to strengthen the argument for future investment and development so that we can be in a strong position to capitalise on the potential mountain biking can contribute to the Rotorua economy.

"We know that by creating improved access to trails, the private sector is able to invest alongside."