10 Mar 2009
Growth in events defies national trends
Summer is on the way out, but work at Toi-EDA’s marketing and events office hasn’t slowed. Events Operations Manager Mike van der Boom and Events Marketing Manager Nicola Burgess are now hard at work fine tuning a variety of major events coming up over the next few months.
Their efforts are paying dividends - the number of events taking place in the district has grown, while other centres around New Zealand are reporting a decline.
Mike puts the difference down to Toi-EDA’s active and cost effective marketing strategy, which makes use of advertising, emails and websites.
It’s certainly a busy time for events over the next couple of months, with the popular Ohope Ordeal taking place on March 28.
Numbers taking part in the challenging mountain bike race were up an amazing 70 per cent last year, after Toi-EDA lent its support to marketing of the event.
Half of the competitors were from out of town, which is great for the local economy, and Toi-EDA are hoping for another increase in numbers this year.
At 8:30pm on the same day - Saturday, March 28 - lights around the world will be turned off as part of the world’s biggest environmental event - Earth Hour.
And all eyes will be on Whakatane, as the world’s easternmost centre to take part – and the first town to switch its lights off.
Earth Day involves individuals, businesses and cities showing their support for action that tackles climate change by turning out their lights for one hour. Fifty countries are taking part this year.
Toi-EDA attempted to get the road lighting and under-verandah lights in the CBD extinguished, but Transit won’t permit road lights to be turned off, so there will not be a total blackout, but hopefully business and home owners will do their part to make it successful.
Last year the people of Christchurch helped make Earth Hour 2008 a huge success, with 63 per cent of residents participating.
One of the biggest events on the Eastern Bay of Plenty’s sports calendar is the famed Whakatane to Taupo Odyssey, a three-day epic adventure for mountain bikers which takes place at Easter – on April 10, 11 and 12.
Both a race and "fun" mountain bike ride for individuals and teams, the event includes 250km of mountain biking in three days, with competitors staying overnight at two carefully selected camp sites.
Featuring new trails, experiences and challenges, it will take in the ancient forests of Whirinaki, near Murupara. Whirinaki is described as “riding paradise,” with giant rimu, totara and other podocarp trees soaring over 50 metres into the sky.
There will be hundreds more bike riders in town on Anzac Day (April 25), for the finish of the Pinarello R4 cycle ride from Rotorua to Whakatane. In fact, up to 1000 cyclists and 500 supporters will be here for the finish of the 90km ride, designed to take in some of New Zealand's most beautiful scenery.
A percentage of the event's proceeds will be donated to the Royal New Zealand Plunket Society to support the development children under five.
Toi-EDA has been working with the race organisers for some time to make the event happen and the result will be a large amount of publicity for Whakatane for a minimum investment.
Yet another major event takes place on April 26 When the Mataatua Waka Ama Regatta takes place on the Whakatane River. The regatta is guaranteed to attract a big crowd, as each of the competitors usually has at least a couple of supporters.
With the river so close to town, the regatta is quite a spectacle. Big family groups always attend and put up tents and the races are short enough to keep everyone interested.
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