- Hon Louise Upston
New Zealand is set to welcome the world's top athletes as Tauranga is announced as the host city for a series of World Triathlon events over the next three years from 2026, including the 2028 World Triathlon Championship Finals.
"We're excited to host these high-profile World Triathlon events, attracting international visitors to New Zealand and giving a major boost to our economy," Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.
"Over the three years, the events are expected to attract more than 6000 international visitors, generating 100,000 international visitor nights and $25 million in tourism visitor spend.
"We're expecting more than 4500 international competitors for the 2028 World Championship final alone."
The Government is investing $2.65 million from the Major Events Fund to support Tri NZ to host three events: the World Triathlon World Cup 2026, the World Triathlon Championship Series in 2027 and the World Triathlon Championship Final 2028.
"Major sporting events like these attract an international following from athletes and sport enthusiasts alike," Louise Upston says.
"A comparable event like The Ironman 70.3 World Championship held last year in Taupō surpassed all expectations, attracting about 15,000 international visitors and generating $23 million in visitor spending in the region and $50 million nationwide."
"Each event will also be broadcast live and streamed to a global audience, reaching millions of international viewers.
"New Zealand has hosted World Championships in the past - and with a strong history of success in triathlon, it will be a fantastic for Kiwis to see our world class athletes compete on home soil.
"We're proud to be able to bring these international sporting events to New Zealand, supporting high-performance sport, driving more sport tourism, and showcasing our country on the world stage.
