Wildfoods Festival Brings $6.5 Million to Hokitika Region

11 June 2012

Wildfoods Festival Brings $6.5 Million to Hokitika Region – Study

Visitors to the 2012 Hokitika Wildfoods Festival generated expenditure of $6.5 million in the Westland District economy, according to a new report by Business and Economic Research Ltd (BERL).

The Hokitika Wildfoods Festival, held on Saturday 10 March 2012, was attended by over 10,800 people, including 9,700 people who visited the region especially for the festival, staying an average of 2.5 days and spending, on average, $540 each.

Westland District Mayor Maureen Pugh says that report highlights the wide range of benefits the Festival has for the local economy and wider region.

“We’re very encouraged that the festival is bringing so much into the Westland District. The festival brings in significant dollars, supporting businesses and jobs, while also creating fantastic national and international awareness for the region’s tourism industry,” said Mayor Maureen Pugh.

The BERL report estimated that the festival directly created 47 full-time equivalent jobs and contributed around six percent of the tourism sector’s GDP. Tourism operators earned $5 million as a direct result of the event and contributed $2.6 million to the District’s GDP.

The festival saw the number of visitors to the Westland region increase to 14,100 in March, compared to a monthly average of just 3,000.

“One of the most encouraging aspects of the report is that it highlights the broad spread of positive impacts the festival creates for the local community,” said Mayor Pugh.

“People coming to Hokitika for the Wildfoods Festival also went sightseeing, walking and trekking, visited local museums and wildlife encounters, and spent money with local businesses.”

Ninety percent of festival attendees were from outside the region, and the majority of those visitors spent at least 2 nights in the District. A significant number, 18 percent, spent three to five nights and nine percent spent more than 5 nights in the region.

Attendees were drawn from all over New Zealand and the rest of the world, with 27 percent of festival attendees coming from the North Island – including 11 percent from Auckland – and five percent coming from overseas. The BERL report noted that this is a large proportion of international visitors compared to other events with a national profile, such as WOMAD in Taranaki or the International Arts Festival in Wellington.

The report also found that the festival attracted people of all ages and income levels, with a large number of attendees in their thirties and forties, and 12 percent of respondents earning more than $100,000.

“It’s very encouraging that the Wildfoods Festival is attracting people of all ages and demographics to the region from all over New Zealand and right around the world,” says festival organiser Mike Keenan.

“We were actually able to increase the number of people attending this year, and for a festival that has been running for over 20 years, that is a fantastic endorsement, highlighting there is a huge continuing demand for the Wildfoods experience.”

Local community groups also benefitted strongly from the festival, with over $110,000 raised by community organisations that operated stalls at the Wildfoods Festival.

“One of the best things about running Wildfoods is that it’s an opportunity to help local groups who do a lot of good for our community, from Rotary clubs to Girl Guides. Being able to raise so much in a single event is a significant help for groups who have to work very hard for every fundraising dollar,” said Mr Keenan.

The BERL report also revealed that visitor satisfaction with the festival was very high, with 89 percent either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their festival experience.

“Those numbers show us that not only was the festival great for our region, it was thoroughly enjoyed by visitors as well. That sends a great message to the rest of the country that the Westland District can deliver an amazing experience,” said Mike Keenan.

“I think you can see that reflected in the positive media coverage the festival gets all over the world. It’s a real badge of pride that we are able to deliver something people enjoyed so much, that is uniquely and proudly West Coast in style and character, which has helped give the region a global reputation.”

The BERL report highlighted such media coverage as a key benefit for the region and estimates that “other New Zealand festivals and events would be willing to pay large sums of money for media exposure such as this.”

The 2012 Wildfoods Festival: An Economic Impact Assessment, BERL Economics.

Key findings:

• $6.5 million spent in the local economy
• $3.4 million added to regional GDP
• 54 full time equivalent jobs created (total impact)
• $110,000 raised for local community groups
• 90% of attendees came from outside the region
• 89% were satisfied or very satisfied with their Wildfoods experience.

For further information visit www.wildfoods.co.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media