Adding value to local economies
i-SITEs offer an excellent platform for local operators and service providers to promote and sell their businesses and for communities and regions to promote local events and public amenities.
Around 38% of all international holiday visitors to New Zealand use an i-SITE and over half of these say that i-SITEs influenced their decision on what activity, transport or accommodation provider they used. Almost one third of all users actually made a booking at an i-SITE.
Economic impact research conducted in 2015 highlighted the key role i-SITE visitor centres play in unlocking visitor spending in the tourism sector. The report showed that:
- For every $1 provided in funding, the network returns on average $8.70 in GDP;
- The overall visitor spending facilitated and handled by the i-SITE network is estimated at around $298.5m;
- Around $109.3m of this spending can be directly attributed to the network and would not have taken place if the i-SITEs did not exist;
- For every $1 of direct sales made by the i-SITE network, there is $1.48 total additional spending in the wider economy;
- The total net economic effect on GDP generated by the i-SITE network to the New Zealand economy is estimated at $146.8 million; and
- The economic effects support 2,200 job equivalents and return $90.2 million to households through income.
