Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Tim Burgess says the arrival of Tauranga's first cruise ship is a turning point for the tourism industry and the local economy.
The Dawn Princess will arrive in port at about 8am today.

The Dawn Princess arriving Wednesday morning in Tauranga.

Tim says the start of the cruise ship season generates a lot of business confidence in the region and is a sign warmer weather has arrived.
About 2260 passengers and 830 crew members travel aboard the Dawn Princess.
Unlike other methods tourists use to travel to the Bay of Plenty, Tim says cruise ships are a very visible sign there are tourists arriving in the region and that visibility has a domino effect on various sectors.
The cruise ship industry generally injects between $15m and $20m into the Bay of Plenty economy each season, says Tim.