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This year’s TSB Festival of Lights Winter Pop-Up event delivered by NPDC, lit up local up New Plymouth’s central business district and cash registers – generating $1.25 million in spending.
Around 15,000 people attended the event held over Mataraki long weekend, with a recently completed independent report from Business and Economic Research Ltd showing that 17 per cent of attendees were from outside of Taranaki – up from 14 per cent last year.
Of those from out of town, 79 per cent said the festival was the reason for travelling to the region that weekend. The report also highlighted a visitor satisfaction rating of 92 per cent.
New Plymouth District Mayor Neil Holdom says the winter pop-up has been a hit since it was launched in 2022 and not only is it a fantastic event, but it hugely important to the local economy.
“The central business area is buzzing over those four days with local bars and restaurants busy and lots of families out and about enjoying the lights and entertainment. Events like this are vital to help us realise our vision to be a Sustainable Lifestyle Capital.”
NPDC events lead Lisa Ekdahl says the report findings, particularly the high satisfaction rate and the positive impact on the local economy, makes it all worthwhile.
“We’re grateful to those that helped produce and everyone that attended this year’s event, and we’re also honoured to have been nominated for Best Local Government Event in the New Zealand Event Awards, which is recognition by the industry of the work put in by the NPDC Events team and supported so strongly by the Taranaki community.”
The team is now channelling its energy into the five-week summer TSB Festival of Lights, which will bring Pukekura Park alive each night between December 21, 2024, and January 26, 2025. Event details will be announced soon.
