A $200,000 allocation from the charterers of the stricken cargo ship Rena will go towards a direct television, print and social media marketing campaign to attract visitors and business to Tauranga.

The Mediterranean Shipping Company announced on Monday Tourism Bay of Plenty is among a number of affected parties to receive monies from the $1million Rena Recovery Fund.

Tourism BOP general manager Rhys Arrowsmith is pleased with the allocation from the $1m MSC Rena fund.

The fund was set up by the charterers of the ship as a way to help those affected in the grounding on October 5, 2011 and subsequent oil spill, despite MSC not having any legal responsibility for the operation of the ship.

Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Rhys Arrowsmith is pleased with TBOP's $200,000 allocation that he says will help to entice people back to the region and ensure them it is back to its pre-Rena state.

'We are definitely grateful for the funds that will allow us to run a longer strategic campaign to promote the region.

'This will enable us to do a two year strike on the market. The funds will not be used for any operations, it will be campaign, and campaign only.”

The $200,000 will go towards a direct marketing campaign aimed at the domestic market that includes a number of television and print advertisements promoting the Bay of Plenty. The region's primary domestic traffic comes from Auckland and Waikato, says Rhys.

Rhys says shooting on the campaign is already underway and, weather depending, the first advertisements should be launched in November, with another drive in mid-March 2014.

'We are putting it together now. Tourism BOP has traditionally not been able to do this type of spend, but we think it's highly appropriate now to do some market reputation reparation, and give people in the market confidence that our region is back to its beautiful self.”

The fund's chair, Sir Peter Trapski, says the allocation to Tourism Bay of Plenty is way of ensuring smaller businesses with limited resources affected by the Rena gain exposure and promotion.

'Some of them were quite small operators with limited resources to promote. They had sought funding to let people know they were still in business.

'The most effective way the fund could provide to these businesses is to bulk fund Tourism BOP for greater coverage, rather than if the money was given to individual smaller operators.”

Sir Peter says the fund has requested Tourism BOP include the affected business when developing a plan.

Rhys says Tourism BOP will be consulting with affected businesses including marine operators and beachside businesses as to what they would like to see, and help to aid their 'hopes and dreams” in repairing their businesses.

'We will take into consideration their desires in promoting the area.”

Tourism BOP applied for funds on the basis the tourism industry, and its stakeholders, were deeply affected by the grounding.

Motiti Island residents are the biggest benefactors of the $1million fund, receiving $366,000 towards Te Moanaa Toi iwi.

An additional $10,000 went towards funding the commemorative sculpture of the penguins unveiled at Mount Maunganui Main Beach on Saturday.

Sir Peter is deeply satisfied with the result of the funding allocations.

'The million dollars was distributed in exactly the way the donors of the fund had intended, to provide assistance to people affected and for specific projects in the future.”

'It wasn't there for claims for damages – those were to go directly to the shipping company owners and insurers – the object of the fund was to help those affected in helping fund future projects.”

Other recipients include:

Maketu Volunteer Coastguard

Maketu Volunteer Fire Service

Maketu Ongatoro Wetlands Society

Waihi Beach Volunteer Coastguard

Dr Bruce Bryant – Te Tuinga Whanau support group.

Birds BOP – survey of seabirds on island within BOP

Tuhua (Mayor) Island Trust Board - Develop strategic and environmental plan

Waihao Bay Community Trust – assist with costs for the establishment of a cell phone tower

Matakana Island – environmental restoration of the foreshore ecosystem

Elaine Tapsell – Maketu te Ara Rena committee.

Island Air Charters

ARRC Wildlife Trust – vet services

Mount Maunganui Life Saving Club

Ngati Ranginui Iwi Society – hold event for volunteers.

Costs towards a pan-iwi disaster response plan led by Te Moana a Toi Iwi leaders group.

Te Runanga o Ngatai Ranganui Iwi Trust - development research project for Mauao Mataitai Reserve

Discovery Surf School - Bash the Trash clean-up day

Matire Duncan - Nga Potiki Resource management unit