More than 50 major events in Auckland over summer and higher visitor numbers helped drive a thriving season for Tāmaki Makaurau.
From December to the end of daylight saving, Auckland will have hosted more than 50 major events as well as hundreds more medium and small events, adding to the region’s vibrancy and positively impacting the hospitality, accommodation and retail sectors.
“It’s been an incredible summer for Tāmaki Makaurau. When you deliver a lineup of events that truly excite people, they make room for them in their lives,” said Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson.
“In an age where so much happens online, we’re seeing a real shift, people are hungry for genuine, in-person experiences, for moments that connect them with great entertainment and with each other. Whether it’s soaking up the atmosphere at the ASB Classic tennis tournament, or joining thousands at the free BNZ Auckland Lantern Festival to enjoy the beautiful lanterns and delicious food, Aucklanders are showing just how much they value coming together.”
Live Nation Managing Director Mark Kneebone said it feels like Auckland is back as a top-tier destination for the world’s biggest tours.
“It wasn't just about the huge stadium moments, it was the energy right across the board, from the clubs up to the arenas. When you’ve got the right artists, a crowd that’s hungry for live music, and a city with a vision, you get a season like this.”
February was a stand-out month for accommodation providers in Auckland, with an average occupancy rate of 84 percent and nearly 788,000 guest nights sold. This represents a jump of around 12 percent compared to the same month last year.
Accommodation occupancy spikes notably correlated with key major events in the region, hitting 96 percent on 18 and 19 February, when Jason Aldean, one of country music’s biggest stars, played his Full Throttle World Tour at Spark Arena (19 February).
Other noticeable accommodation peaks were during Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at Eden Park on 20 and 21 February when the region reached 95 percent occupancy; on the weekend of SailGP on 14 February; and when Lorde played at Spark Arena on 11 February.
The season also saw the strong return of international visitors to Auckland - guest nights sold to overseas visitors were up more than 25 percent in January.
Clinton Farley, General Manager of The Hotel Britomart, said it’s been the strongest summer on record for the hotel.
“After opening in the middle of the pandemic, to now see this level of visitation is hugely rewarding for our team. But it goes well beyond our doors; increased visitor numbers drive real impact across the entire economy. Auckland is the gateway to New Zealand, so that flow of visitors has immense benefits right across the country. You see it in fuller restaurants, busy bars, thriving retail and a real energy on the streets. That vibrancy brings a sense of optimism and happiness you can feel day to day, not just for those of us in hospitality and tourism, but for everyday Kiwis as well.”
Over 100,000 people went along to the free BNZ Auckland Lantern Festival, Pasifika Festival, Moana Auckland and the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival supported by Auckland Council Events, which all added to the pumping line-up.
It was a great summer for music festivals and concerts, with Laneway drawing a record Auckland crowd of more than 36,000 and generating 49,680 visitor nights. Mānuka Phuel Synthony Festival drew around 40,000 people, Ed Sheeran drew nearly 70,00 across two nights, with Good Charlotte, Josh Groban, Blindspott, Splore, Ethel Cain, Linkin Park, Maoli, Lewis Capaldi, Matt Rife and Counting Crows all packing out venues and public spaces.
Business events were another important contributor in filling the city with visitors – The Special Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Eden Park in January delivered an estimated economic impact of NZD 20 million with 21,000 participants, including 6000 international visitors, whose average length of stay in Auckland was seven nights.
Professional men’s golf swung back into Auckland for the first time in 22 years with the inaugural ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia Championship, and four sporting codes got together with the support of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited to offer a ticket to the Blues, Auckland FC, Warriors, and Champions Day for NZD 100 over one epic weekend.
“It takes a lot of hard work and relentless focus to bring these events to Auckland, and we are committed - the pedal is on the metal to keep this momentum up,” said Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Chief Executive Nick Hill.
“We’re building an events pipeline but if we want to compete with Australian cities for big name concerts and events, we need a long-term sustainable funding mechanism. A national solution like a user-pays bed levy to keep Auckland - and New Zealand - in the running.”
April and May are shaping up to be strong months, with major musical & Juliet, Five, Jimmy Barnes and Auckland Writers Festival scheduled, then later in the year All Blacks vs Ireland, Robbie Williams, Zara Larsson, Hilary Duff, Olivia Dean, Alex Warren, New Zealand International Comedy Festival, Harlem Globetrotters, IVE, J Cole, The World Series of Darts and more to be announced.
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