Paymark figures show the number of transactions in the Bay of Plenty's hospitality sector during the opening weekend of the Rugby World Cup were down by 5.7 per cent.

Other regions around New Zealand without rugby fixtures also showed decreases.

Have Tauranga city leaders dropped the ball on finding opportunity in the Rugby World Cup to stimulate business? Have your say with a comment on this article below.

The Bay's decrease followed a week in which spending value in the region across all sectors via EFTPOS was only up 0.9 per cent in a year-on-year comparison.

Other regions around New Zealand showed large increases in spending value in that week (ending Thursday, September 8) with the national average an increase of 10.9 per cent.

A major contributor to the national spending increase was in car rentals with this sector experiencing a 46.6 per cent rise.

Tauranga car rental businesses do not appear to have contributed to this increase with Richard Grainger, owner of Rite Price Rentals in Totara Street, saying he has noticed no change.

'We thought there would be a surge in interest, but it has been mediocre,” says Richard.

'We felt we would get more than we are getting.”

Richard says this is in part due to the fact Tauranga is not hosting any of the RWC games.

'There is not a lot happening in Tauranga. Look at the stadium in Rotorua, we don't have that here.

'Anything that comes to Tauranga creates more interest and brings people in.

'If we had games here it would have been better.”

Richard did have vehicles booked for tours, but says they were cancelled as the tour companies could not fill them.

'We are in the off-season anyway, but the Rugby World Cup hasn't really affected business. We have been getting a little more than we would normally.”

For Tauranga residents, the city's Chamber of Commerce chief executive, Max Mason, says they are likely to begin spending in the region as the tournament wears on.

'I think a lot of people went to Auckland to experience the fan zone, and also tonnes of people wanted to watch the opening ceremony, so they stayed at home.”

Max is expecting business in the Bay to pick up in the coming weeks as people start to get out and watch the rugby with their friends.

'I think Tauranga has started off slowly as people are concentrating on the rugby and staying at home. I think more people will get out and start watching the games at the pub with their friends.

'Coming up to the quarter and semifinals you are going to get more international visitors coming through Tauranga and that will increase spending.”

With Tauranga not hosting any rugby games, Max says the city's businesses are not going to experience the same level of economic activity as places like Rotorua.

'When you look at Rotorua, they have the games and a council that has given them a lot of support.”

Paymark head of sales and marketing Paul Whiston says the impact the cup has had on the New Zealand retail landscape has come through strongly and immediately.

'The build-up started a week out from the opening ceremony, and on the day itself, an extra $1.3 million flowed through the hospitality merchants linked to our network compared to the same period last year – an effort repeated in the next 24 hours.”

Max is urging people to get out and enjoy what Tauranga is offering, especially the REAL Tauranga Festival.

'People on The Strand are going to benefit from the REAL festival. There will be an increase in foot traffic and additional spending.”