Easter Saturday’s crowd is substantial — and the limp windsock is significant.
An independent report has reaffirmed the major economic impact on the region of the Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow. Following this year’s event during Easter Weekend, an Economic Impact and Market Research Report puts the overall economic impact at $21.6m, a 16 percent increase on the last airshow to be surveyed in 2010.
The report also confirms the event remains popular with visitors with 90 percent of respondents rating the airshow as either good or very good, citing impressive aircraft, overall enjoyment/entertainment and good organisation as the major reasons.
Including the newly instigated Rides Day, 48,239 people attended the airshow with a resulting 114,000 bed nights in the region.
“Twenty-five years on, Warbirds Over Wanaka is still one of the biggest and best airshows of its kind in the world, and this report proves it,” says Ed Taylor, airshow general manager.
“It is a testament to the early vision of Sir Tim Wallis and the hard work of thousands of volunteers over the years that we are still rated in the top four Warbirds airshows in the world, alongside great shows like Flying Legends at Duxford in England.”
Another positive for organisers was the small number of areas where respondents felt the Airshow could be improved.
“A perennial problem is dust and that got mentioned by a few people. Hopefully that will be a lot less of a problem in 2016 with the new irrigation system currently being installed at Wanaka Airport,” says Ed. The next Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow dates are 25–27 March 2016.
The Warbirds Over Wanaka Economic Impact and Market Research Report was compiled by Opinions Market Research Ltd of Christchurch.
-Report by John King, photography by Steve Zimmermann.