Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston has welcomed the decision to select Tauranga as the host city for future World Triathlon events.
New Zealand is set to welcome the world’s top athletes as Tauranga was announced as the host city for a series of World Triathlon events over the next three years from 2026, including the 2028 World Triathlon Championship Finals.
“We’re excited to host these high-profile World Triathlon events, attracting international visitors to New Zealand and giving a major boost to our economy,” Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said.
“Over the three years, the events are expected to attract more than 6000 international visitors, generating 100,000 international visitor nights and $25 million in tourism visitor spend.”
The minister said the industry should expect more than 4500 international competitors for the 2028 World Championship final alone.
The Government has committed to investing NZD 2.65 million from the Major Events Fund to support Tri NZ to host three events: the World Triathlon World Cup 2026, the World Triathlon Championship Series in 2027 and the World Triathlon Championship Final 2028.
Minister Upston said major sporting events like these attract an international following from athletes and sports enthusiasts alike.
“A comparable event like The Ironman 70.3 World Championship held last year in Taupō surpassed all expectations, attracting about 15,000 international visitors and generating NZD 23 million in visitor spending in the region and NZD 50 million nationwide,” she said.
“Each event will also be broadcast live and streamed to a global audience, reaching millions of international viewers.”
New Zealand has hosted World Championships in the past, with the last being 16 years ago. Upston said with a strong history of success in triathlon at various championships globally, it will be a fantastic opportunity for Kiwis to see home-grown world-class athletes compete on home soil.
“We’re proud to be able to bring these international sporting events to New Zealand, supporting high-performance sport, driving more sport tourism, and showcasing our country on the world stage.”
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