Tim Smith (left) and Tamati Coffey outside their new bar Our House on Eat Streat. Photo / File
Tim Smith (left) and Tamati Coffey outside their new bar Our House on Eat Streat. Photo / File
Growing confidence in the Bay of Plenty's economy has sparked more job vacancies according to new research.
The latest Westpac-McDermott Miller regional economic confidence survey found 37 per cent of Bay of Plenty households expected the region's economy to improve in the next 12 months, eight per cent more than the September quarter survey.
Most of those surveyed also expected their own financial situation to improve in the next year, the report revealed.
Westpac's chief economist Dominic Stephens said greater confidence in the region reflected increased business activity, and also led to the creation of more jobs.
Rotorua Chamber of Commerce acting chief executive Bryce Heard said people were feeling more confident about the local economy's future prospects.
"People are definitely also willing to spend money and the city is cracking along," he said.
Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick said there had been a substantial business investment in the area in the past few years with new businesses coming in and existing businesses reinvesting and extending their offerings.
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick.
"That points to confidence in our local economy which is translating into more jobs and contributing to the general growth we're seeing, including population growth," she said.
"The latest [Westpac] survey reinforces what we've been seeing and what we're hearing from our business community, which is very heartening."
Rotorua's Ponsonby Rd Lounge Bar owners Tamati Coffey and Tim Smith opened their second Eat Streat bar Our House employing 16 staff a few days before Christmas.
Coffey, also the MP for Waiariki, said business confidence across the region was high.
"As a region, the Bay of Plenty economy is doing really well and I recently visited Tauranga and across the city l saw a number of businesses are also looking for more staff.
"That tells me the Bay of Plenty's economy is growing and that trend is also reflected in reports to the Government's Finance and Expenditure Committee which I sit on," he said.
Hospitality New Zealand Bay of Plenty regional manager Alan Sciascia said there was no sign the demand for more hospitality employees was slowing down.
"Growth in hospitality employment reflected general confidence in the sector," he said.
NZ Kiwifruit Growers spokesman Mike Murphy said the region's kiwifruit industry was expected to grow to $4.6 billion by 2029/30, but there were "definitely challenges" around the amount of labour, water and land needed.
Regional manager of OneStaff recruitment agency Matt Groucott said there was 'absolutely' an increase of people using the services across the region and it appeared there were jobs in every sector.
Although he had seen a mass-shortage of people for jobs that had a cultural aspect.
2018 December quarter Regional Economic Confidence:
Top six regions:
Gisborne/Hawke's Bay: 52 per cent; Nelson/Manawatu-Whanganui and Southland: 51 per cent; Otago: 50 per cent; Wellington: 38 per cent; and Bay of Plenty: 37 per cent.
Source: Westpac-MCDermott Miller Regional Economic Confidence Survey
