Tourism to be boosted by longer summer

Rotorua could see an immediate boost in domestic tourism as a result of extended daylight saving.

An extra three weeks is being added from this year and tourism is expected to reap the rewards of what will essentially be a longer summer. Industry leaders say it should see visitors spending more time and money in New Zealand.

While they say it's difficult to predict just how much the Rotorua region will benefit, local tourism leaders predict visitors will use the extra daylight to take in extra sights and activities.

The major benefit is expected to come in the domestic market, Destination Rotorua Tourism Marketing general manager Don Gunn said.

If Rotorua's airport goes transtasman, he also sees the potential for a boost in that market as a result of extended daylight saving.

From this year daylight saving will start a week earlier than usual - the last Sunday in September - and end two weeks later - the first Sunday in April.

The earlier start will avoid any clash with the start of the fourth school term and the government plans to monitor the effects on other parts of the economy like the energy sector, to see if there are long-term sustainable benefits.

National tourism leaders say an extended tourism season will bring New Zealand in line with comparable international destinations like Australia, Britain and western Europe.

Mr Gunn said it was not likely to affect international tourism as much as the domestic market as the international season already ran from October to March or April.

"I guess the advantage for our tourism operators will be within the domestic market. Longer daylight hours means people can do activities later in the day. Free, independent [overseas] travellers are also more flexible so some of them are likely to take advantage."

The weather, however, would remain a factor at either end of daylight saving, he said.

More tourists around later in the day, for a longer period of time, would also be a boost for retailers who took advantage by staying open later. It was unlikely to make much difference to restaurants, except maybe those with outdoor dining, as people were still likely to eat after dark, Mr Gunn said.

The Government decided to extend daylight saving after a petition launched by United Future leader Peter Dunne and Nelson city councillor Mark Holmes, which gathered 42,000 signatures supporting the change.

Since 1990, New Zealand has had 24 weeks of daylight saving in addition to the half hour of standard daylight savings since 1941.
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>>>- additional reporting NZPA