Catching the hosting rights to the January 2022 Hot Springs Spas T20 Black Clash in association with Heartland has proven to be a big win for Tauranga, with more than half of the event's attendees visiting from outside the region and bringing their wallets with them. The annual fixture, run by event promotions company Duco Events, features New Zealand's biggest sporting stars of rugby and cricket playing against each other in a T20 cricket match. 10,081 tickets were sold to this hugely popular event at Bay Oval on Saturday, January 22. The influx of 5,920 out-of-town fans created 6,711 visitor nights, providing a strong start to the city's tourism for 2022 and a bright spot amid event challenges of the past two years due to Covid-19 restrictions. Overall, $1,120,294 was spent by visitors while in Tauranga over the event weekend. Tauranga City Council Venues and Events Manager Nelita Byrne says it's great to host such popular events in the city. 'This is a prime example of how our major event fund has been used to positively impact Tauranga," says Nelita.
"We want to continue to promote the city by contributing to enjoyable events for residents and offering memorable and lasting experiences for our guests.”
Photo credit: Photosport.
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It wasn't only visitors enjoying the weekend, with 94% of surveyed residents agreeing or strongly agreeing Tauranga is a more enjoyable place to live by hosting events like the Hot Springs Spas T20 Black Clash. 'It's great to see residents get behind events like this as it shows we're right on the pulse of what locals want to see and solidifies Tauranga as a popular hosting city,” Nelita said. The event also provided the platform to promote Tauranga to those who didn't attend in person, as more than one million viewers (1,034,900 consolidated viewership TVNZ 1, and 57,000 TVNZ OnDemand) tuned in to the on-field action, which also included stunning footage of Mauao, interviews in iconic Tauranga places, and a glimpse into some of the tourism activities on offer in the city. An additional 76,255 international viewers tuned in via Fox Sports in Australia.
Photo credit: Photosport. Duco Event Director Carlena Limmer says hosting the event in Tauranga was a massive success. 'We received fantastic feedback from patrons and players on how much they enjoyed being in Tauranga for the Hot Springs Spas T20 Black Clash in association with Heartland," says Carlena. "We're delighted the event has provided economic benefits for the city as well as providing a thoroughly entertaining event experience, enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.” Tauranga City Council's major event fund is a fund for events that drive economic growth and attract significant visitation and tourism.
Tauranga city benefits from the Hot Springs Spas T20 Black Clash in association with Heartland. Click to view larger infographic. Supplied Photo.
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