A nationwide roadshow coming to Tauranga this month is aiming to increase New Zealand's productivity and business success.

The roadshow, which is coming to the region November 29, aims to do this by focusing on the small businesses and their trusted advisors - accountants and bookkeepers.

Latest data from Xero Small Business Insights shows Tauranga is among the highest performing regions in the country for small business cashflow.

About 57.66 per cent of businesses in the Bay of Plenty are cashflow positive, which is about 3 per cent above the national average of 54 per cent.

Craig Hudson, Xero's Managing Director for New Zealand and Pacific Islands, says with the right advice and support small businesses in could do even better.

Small businesses make up 97 per cent of all enterprises in New Zealand and currently contribute around 28 per cent of GDP. He says there's no reason why this couldn't one day be 50 per cent of GDP.

'As a country we need to foster growth and innovation. We know that Kiwis are exceptionally hard workers, but we struggle with low productivity levels. We believe that, by working together, this can change.

'Accountants and bookkeepers have a huge opportunity here to provide support and advice that enables small businesses to be successful.

'Imagine if every one of our Kiwi small businesses hired even half a new employee - what that would do to economic growth and GDP contribution?

'The potential is here and I'm challenging every accountant and bookkeeper to review how they operate and explore new ways to support their clients - whether that's leveraging data from Xero Small Business Insights to inform decisions or branching into app advisory services.”

The Xero Roadshow is an annual event for Xero's partners, connecting them with product experts and partner consultants and, for the first time this year, it will also be open to small businesses.

It will provide attendees with key strategy updates and deliver breakout content sessions - sharing valuable information about how to increase productivity, grow their business and best use the technology tools at their disposal.

Odele Welsh, an accountant at Tauranga-based business consultancy, Office Angels, says its positive to see businesses in the Bay of Plenty embracing technology.

'We really encourage small businesses to pick up the right software. It saves time, makes them more efficient and there are less chances of error. In turn, this can boost their productivity and make their lives much easier.

'It's critical that businesses invest in training to make sure they know how to make the most of tools and get what they need out of the technology. We're looking forward to learning more about the latest tech at this year's Roadshow, so we can pass this on to our clients in our training and work with them.”

The Xero Roadshow launched on 16 October and runs until 6 December. It will visit 14 regions; Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown.

To register, go to: https://www.xero.com/nz/events/roadshow-2018/