Cruise ship visitors to the Bay of Plenty last season numbered 164,300 – a 10 per cent increase on the last year's figures.

The season not only boasted an increase in visitors, due to larger ships to the region, but also saw a 12 per cent increase in passenger spending – a total $39 million.

More cruise ships are visiting the Bay.

Tourism Bay of Plenty CEO Kristin Dunne says the cruise ship season is one of the most visible parts of the tourism industry and 'a perfect opportunity to showcase the unique attributes of the Bay to the world”.

Cruise is the third largest inbound tourism market to the country and brought in a record 254,409 passengers to New Zealand during the 2015/2016 season.

One of the reasons the Bay of Plenty is a chosen destination for cruise lines is because of the region's proximity to other global tourism attractions, such as Rotorua and Hobbiton in Matamata, says Kristin.

'There is no question that the Bay is getting its share of the benefits, with statistics showing that 50 per cent of passengers choose to stay locally – taking a tour around the region with local operators or exploring independently.

'The one-day ‘taste' of our area is so important because many cruisers return independently, and also spread their experience by word of mouth or social media to friends and family. As such, we all need to work together to ensure cruise passengers arrive to a vibrant, welcoming city.

'Our role is to ensure passengers and crew have a great visitor experience, and as part of this TBOP will be working collaboratively with organisations such as Mount Mainstreet and Downtown Tauranga to guarantee retailers, hospitality businesses are sufficiently prepared to host our guests.”

Highlights for the coming season include the largest and longest ship to visit NZ, five overnight stays, and nearly 10,000 visitors in the Bay on one day.

Ovation of the Seas headlines a stellar line-up this cruise season, with its capacity of nearly 7000 passengers and crew making a significant contribution to the expected 155,000 passengers and 66,000 crew due to pass through the port this summer.

The latest Royal Caribbean ship is nearly 350m long, will be in the region on Boxing Day and two other visits during the peak season. It's joined by a brand new vessel, Seabourn Encore, which is making its debut in the Bay for two days in February.

The 2016/2017 cruise ship season will see a total 69 days of ship visits, including overnights with Celebrity Solstice and a double ship day on February 5 with Ovation of Seas and Emerald Princess, which is expected to bring in a combined total of 9500 visitors in one day.

To effectively manage the increase in capacity and ensure the season is a success, Kristin says collaboration is essential, as is a redevelopment and upgrade of the I-PORT to include an official visitor centre.

'We are working closely with Tauranga City Council, the Port of Tauranga and local tour operators to ensure safe movement of passengers in our region and to manage the volumes of visitors arriving from a service perspective.”