A double-date with Robbie Williams has helped Hawke’s Bay set a new tourism record.
Hawke’s Bay Tourism said it was now confident the region would be a hotspot this summer, citing the success of two 25,000-strong concerts at Mission Estate in Napier over the weekend as proof it can deliver.
At the weekend’s peak, 36,909 domestic visitors and 3222 international visitors were recorded in Hawke’s Bay at midday Sunday, according to Tourism New Zealand’s Visitor and Local Population Estimates.
It’s the highest number of total visitors recorded in Hawke’s Bay on a single day since these records began in January 2020.
That figure is a boon for many businesses, many of which were financially crippled as a result of the pandemic and Cyclone Gabrielle.
In order to continue to attract visitors this summer, Hawke’s Bay Tourism said it would be pushing its biggest-ever multimedia marketing campaign, made possible thanks to recently secured funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Hawke’s Bay: Tastes like Summer aims to promote the region as “back on the map” as a must-visit summer location, Hawke’s Bay Tourism CEO Hamish Saxton said.
It will highlight events, experiences and notable places to visit through a combination of out-of-home, print, weather-based, radio and other media.
“As New Zealand’s Food and Wine Country, the ‘tastes’ of summer can be found every day throughout Hawke’s Bay,” the promotion states.
“From vineyard concerts and festivals to crayfish on the barbecue, real fruit ice cream, long hot days, and ocean breezes. We look forward to welcoming visitors to sample our delicious region.”
The campaign will also include a social media layer, allowing local operators to get on board and participate, as well as a public relations campaign designed to amplify the message.
Both social media and public relations will be added to the campaign matrix in the coming weeks, the organisation said.
An extensive events line-up will dominate summer in Hawke’s Bay, with no shortage of live entertainment in store.
Notable events will include Nest Fest, the Art Deco Festival, Horse of the Year and the recently announced Harvest Moon Festival featuring Tom Jones at McLean Park.
First published by HB Today. Click here to read the full article.