Visiting superyachts provide a financial injection into countries and ports they visit and the city of Auckland in New Zealand has learned that first hand.
“The City of Sails has experienced a record super yacht season with a $29 million boost to the economy in the year to March 2014,”says Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development (ATEED) chief executive Brett O’Riley
A joint initiative between central and local government to attract more super yacht business is growing the industry, he said.
Super yacht owners are “probably the best advertisement for Auckland”, because they are very active on social media.
“They like the fact that they can be based in the central city so our colleagues at Waterfront Auckland have tripled the berthing facilities down at Wynyard Quarter so they can be right in the city.
Being based in Auckland also gives them the chance to cruise around the country and to the Pacific Islands, he said
He is expecting another “bumper season” of super yachts in the harbour this summer.