The Bay of Plenty continues to offer ‘plenty for everyone' recording a 19 per rise in the total guest nights for January 2014 – injecting more than $430 million into the local economy.

The latest Statistics New Zealand figures show the Bay and Whakatane-Kawerau region recorded the increase, of 40,000 nights, for the month compared to January 2013. Auckland sits second with 36,000, followed by 35,000 in Queenstown.

The guest night increase for the combined Bay and Whakatane-Kawerau region is credited to a 33 per cent jump in international (10,760) and a 16 per cent increase in domestic guest nights (28,745).

Guests are also spending more time and money in the Bay, with the average length of stay increasing from 2.97 to 3.55 nights, injecting more than $430m into the local economy.

Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Rhys Arrowsmith says it's great to see the hard work paying off the tourism industry tirelessly puts in, with the Bay and wider region having plenty to offer holidaymakers.

Rhys is thrilled to see such positive results, he says are testament in part to Tourism Bay of Plenty's new integrated marketing approach, including the first television commercials in a decade, paired with press advertising, PR and online marketing.

'The ‘Plenty for Everyone' marketing effort has proved a good investment return for the region,” says Rhys.

'There is no doubt that we live in one of the most picturesque areas in New Zealand, making it easy to promote to the world with the variety of experiences on offer.”

Key attractions in the region are also showing strong visitor growth with a 22 per cent year-on-year increase to monitored attractions such as White Island tours, Comvita, Waimarino, Classic Flyers, Blokart, Spring Loaded Adventures and Kiwi 360.

Along with the positive guest night results, two recent polls have tipped Bay beaches as New Zealand's and the South Pacific's most-loved.

Ohope in Whakatane has taken the top title of New Zealand's favourite beach in a recent AA Facebook poll; and, internationally, TripAdvisor announced Maunganui Beach has been voted No 1 for New Zealand, and No 4 in the South Pacific in their Travellers' Choice awards for beaches.

In its second year, the awards recognise more than 322 beaches globally, including top lists for New Zealand, Australia, the South Pacific, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, South America, and the US.