Six60 perform on the highest viewing platform in New York City at an exclusive event to celebrate the launch of Air New Zealand’s direct flight from Auckland to New York. Video / Stephanie Holmes
Tens of thousands of people are expected to flock to Rotorua, filling motels and spending millions of dollars in the coming weekends as big events fill the calendar.
Data from Rotorua NZ's Insights Dashboard shows Labour Weekend and the weekend of Six60's November 12 concert at Rotorua International Stadium will be peak times for local tourism.
The dashboard records data from participating holiday home and commercial accommodation providers.
Rotorua NZ research and insights manager Justin Kimberley said the tool, developed by AIC Consulting, calculated the demand for commercial accommodation providers based on information from travel agents, pricing and availability.
After being plagued by Covid-19 cancellations, Whaka100 will be back in Rotorua from October 21 to 23. Photo / Supplied
Demand for commercial accommodation at Labour Weekend was 0.93 as of Monday this week.
Commercial accommodation included hotels, motels, backpackers and bed and breakfasts.
The annual Whaka100 Mountain Bike Marathon was postponed from Labour weekend 2021 to Auckland Anniversary weekend in January. Then, just days before bikers were scheduled to cross the starting line, it was cancelled.
Now it is back. And with more than 2600 riders registered, the dashboard shows holiday homes at 88 per cent occupancy.
Whaka100 organisers Tim and Belinda Farmer said 92 per cent of the event's participants were from out of town.
Tim Farmer said the year since Whaka100's 2021 postponement had been "tough" but there have been some silver linings.
"The support we have received from event participants, volunteers and our event partners has been exceptional.
"It has given us the confidence to refocus and relaunch the event and even add innovative event options like New Zealand's first singletrack 161km XC marathon."
The event generates an estimated $4.5 million in economic benefit to Rotorua.
Other events on this long weekend include the Saturday Kuirau Park market from 7am to 1pm and the Lake Tarawera spring fair on Sunday from 10am to 2pm at Stoney Point Reserve.
Rotorua NZ's dashboard predicts crowds of 500 at each day of Crankworx events. Photo / Supplied
The next big weekend planned for the city has Crankworx coinciding with the postponed Six60 concert at the Rotorua International Stadium.
For that weekend, November 12-13, holiday homes are already 100 per cent booked.
Commercial accommodation providers are also expected to do well with demand for the Saturday night estimated at 0.94.
Six60 are expected to draw an audience of 15,000 and Rotorua NZ's dashboard predicts crowds of 500 on each day of the Crankworx events. Crankworx runs from November 5 to 13.
"These numbers demonstrate that demand for accommodation in Rotorua remains strong and there are significant bookings for these key event weekends," Kimberley said.
"As an example, for Whaka100 weekend ... we can expect the city to be at near maximum occupancy by the time the weekend arrives."
Kimberley said for Six60 and Crankworx, the city would likely be close to 100 per cent occupancy.
While the data suggested that there was still some availability over the key event weekends, Kimberley said in the past, Rotorua had sold out of rooms.
Crankworx organiser Ariki Tibble said ticket sales for the event so far were in line with 2020 which was Crankworx's biggest year to date and drew a crowd of thousands to Rotorua.
"We still have a little way to go but I think if you take that and you take the Six60 concert and the other events going on at the same time, then I think we're probably going to experience something we've not experienced before."
Tibble said it was exciting to be able to welcome back spectators to Crankworx as mountain bike events "exploded" in popularity around the world.
"You never know if it's going to cross over to our environment but I think [the ticket sales are] a sign of the fact that people want to get out and enjoy their summer, get to fantastic events and have fun."
Previous estimates have put the cumulative economic impact of the 2015-2021 Crankworx events at more than $25.9m, excluding the economic benefit of visitors who travelled after the event and "the lasting awareness and hype generated for Rotorua".
Rotorua Accommodation Network chairman and Aura Accommodation owner Nick Fitzgerald said Rotorua NZ's data matched with bookings for small, independent accommodation providers.
"During events and public holiday weekends, Rotorua's always been at capacity even before we lost all those rooms to emergency housing.
"Our expectation is that those weekends will be full."
Fitzgerald said visitors were also booking with more confidence, well ahead of time.
Six60's November concert at Rotorua's International Stadium is expected to draw a crowd of 15,000. Photo / Supplied
Sudima Hotel manager Rajas Patil said hotel bookings were high due to advance group bookings more than regular visitors.
"There is a conference happening then [November 12-13] as well. It is certainly going to be a busy one."
Rotorua Lakes Council director of events Joelene Elliott said event organisers were excited to be working after experiencing the impacts of Covid-19 restrictions in the past two years.
