Forget coming to Tauranga’s CBD

As a Tauranga resident who recently arrived back in Tauranga off a cruise ship, I now know why so few tourists elect to take the shuttle into Tauranga CBD, and instead opt to go to Rotorua, Matamata or Mount Manganui - much smaller towns who understand the value of tourism.

We arrived on New Year's Day, as did another cruise ship. One would think the potential of having 4000- plus visitors to our city on one day would inspire local officials, shop keepers, community groups and clubs to show a little initiative, even if it was a public holiday.

One thing we can be sure of is those visitors that did choose to visit Tauranga's CBD will be telling all of their friends and family not to bother.

The shuttle was an ordinary bus that cost $15 for the return trip. The shuttles route into Tauranga CBD after leaving State Highway 2 is Dive Crescent (appropriately named), The Strand, which housed a number of homeless with their mattresses in shop doorways, and then finally The Strand Reclamation, where visitors disembarked.

Prior to disembarking to a gorse-covered railway fence, the visitors were advised that as it was public holiday, only a few shops were open. We only saw one. If Tauranga can't do better than this then we don't deserve the tourist dollar.

K. Bailey, Tauranga.

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