Early summer tourists have helped take spending in the coastal Bay of Plenty to an all-time high, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

Spending for the month of December in the coastal Bay of Plenty region from Waihi Beach to Whakatane is up five per cent to $118 million.

This figure marks an eight-year high for the region. The coastal region also outperformed Rotorua, which saw $90 million in spending for the month.

The summer season is always the region's most successful, says Tourism Bay of Plenty CEO Kristin Dunne.

But with an increase in cruise and holidaymakers over the Christmas break, the new result is even better than expected.

'January is historically our top month for visitor spending, so to reach an all-new record a month early bodes well for 2017. We're thrilled with the results, which put our goal of becoming a billion-dollar firmly within our reach.”

These latest figures round out a successful year, with the coastal Bay of Plenty maintaining its position as one of the top performing regions, thanks to a 2016 year-end total spend of $933m.

Of this, $208m was from international visitors an increase of 14.8 per cent year-on-year, and $725m from domestic visitors which are up eight per cent from 2015.

Also contributing to the success is an increase in spending outside of the peak summer season. The region's six-month average for shoulder and off-peak season spending from June to November, came in at $65m per month, up from $59m per month last year.

July, one of the region's typically quieter periods, saw a huge increase of 17.5 per cent year-on-year alone, largely due to high-quality events, increased retail opportunities and a growing café and restaurant culture during cooler months.

Kristin says it's a fantastic end to 2016 and sets the bar for the year ahead.

'We're starting the year as we mean to continue, by putting long-term strategies in place to ensure we perform well all-year round.

'This started with the launch of our No Place Like Home community survey, which seeks to engage residents and local operators.

'From the feedback we receive, this will help us create bigger and better events and opportunities, and together will grow and develop the region into a thriving location for visitors and locals alike.”

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