Taranaki’s economy is brighter than ever thanks to the TSB Festival of Lights.
The annual event, which started in 1953, draws thousands of visitors to New Plymouth each year. The last season, which ran over December 2023 and January 2024, put $9.2 million into the local economy, according to a recent report.
That report, from Business and Economic Research Ltd (BERL), stated the $9.2m was a $1.2m increase from the previous season.
As well as a boost in money, the festival also had an increase in visitors. The recent festival was attended by 175,000 people, a 20 per cent increase from 140,000 visitors the year before.
Thirty-nine per cent of the visitors were from outside the region, with 69 per cent of them visiting the region specifically for the festival.