Whanganui business owner 'about 3000 per cent more confident than last year' ahead of expected bumper summer

Businesses across Whanganui are feeling confident ahead of what they anticipate to be a bumper summer season. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui business leaders are feeling a sense of optimism ahead of summer, with consumer spending in the city at record levels.

Whanganui & Partners (W&P) chief executive Hannah Middleton said W&P's weekly consumer spending data indicated people were spending more in the city than they were at this time in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Consumer spending was also at record growth with data from January to August this year showing spending up by 10.1 per cent compared to the same period in 2021.

Middleton expected these figures to continue to improve over summer, with Covid-19-related restrictions having been lifted, borders reopened, people once again excited to travel and enjoy the warmer weather, and consumer spending rates traditionally increasing in the build-up to Christmas.

"We expect our local businesses to start noticing this improvement in spend and we are looking forward to a strong summer period," Middleton said.

A feeling of optimism was also being carried by Whanganui businesses, Whanganui Chamber of Commerce chief executive Helen Garner said.

"I'd say there's more optimism than we've seen in quite some time.

"We're expecting a good summer with robust events and visitors into the region."

One of the major reasons for the optimism was the lifting of Covid-19 mandates, which she said had an instant effect on boosting the morale of businesses.

The return of summer events, such as the Masters Games, bringing people back into town was another reason for hope in the local business community, Garner said.

"There's a lot bringing people into town, so if you're in the retail, hospitality, tourism sectors, then it's looking good for you."

The return of summer events also has Anndion Lodge manager Gary Rainey feeling much more confident for the coming months.

"[We're feeling] about 3000 per cent more confident than last year."

He said when New Zealand went into level 4 lockdown in August last year at the first detection of the Delta variation it caused a severe downturn in business that lasted for around eight months.

"It wasn't until about April when things came right so now that things are a bit better, we're a bit more confident in a relatively normal summer, and that's all we ask for, a little bit of normality so I think we're going to get that this year," he said.

The return of events had more of an effect on the upswing of his business than the lifting of the final Covid mandates earlier in the year, Rainey said.

"Removing the last of the mandates didn't make a difference to anything."

Whanganui Māori Regional Tourism Organisation (WMRTO) chairman Hayden Potaka said members were feeling more confident heading into summer, thanks to the return of international tourists.

"Some of the members are quite buoyed by some of the bookings that are coming in internationally, which is putting a good feeling out there," Potaka said.

"The operators are looking a bit more hopeful than what has happened in the past with Covid, the ones that have survived that is."

Potaka said interest in the city was still there from domestic travellers, which was also helping operators.

"We're not going to get a big bump in international tourists, but at least we'll get some domestic ones that have always been interested in coming to Whanganui," he said.

However, he said there were still places which could be improved with local tourism.

Particularly, he said members of the WMRTO wanted better domestic advertising for their businesses.

"Some of them are looking to get some better attraction or advertising for their particular organisation or their particular activity on the river," he said.

Garner said a good summer was needed as local businesses had had it rough over the last couple of years because of Covid-19.

"I think that people are quite tired this year, so I would say we're all looking forward to a bumper summer season and, for some of us, a good break," she said.