The show that keeps giving

The Waikato economy will benefit from sales long after Fieldays opens its gates this week.

Waikato Chamber of Commerce CEO Sally Perry said it’s not just the week of the national event where local businesses will profit, as the “sales go over a longer period”, following Fieldays.

The chamber said figures are hard to give because the sales boost extends until after Fieldays.

But research by Waikato University has estimated the event generated $129 million for Waikato’s economy in 2010, and $529 million nationally.

In 2013, the largest agricultural showpiece in the southern hemisphere saw 120,000 people swarm into Hamilton over four days.

“We definitely benefit from Fieldays,” Hertz Hamilton company director Lawrie Fawcitt said. “The influx of people coming into Hamilton is huge.”

But it is these big numbers that make life difficult for the car rental director.

To avoid traffic during the week, he deliberately picks up Hertz vehicles at night from Hamilton airport, to take back to the Tristram Street branch to clean.

But he is “fighting traffic” when he return the vehicles to the airport the following morning, with people making their way to Fieldays.

“The logistics of the week are just crazy,” said Fawcitt.

A one-way trip that usually takes 30 minutes will take over an hour.

“I call it the week from hell,” he joked, adding it is their busiest time of the year.

Three weeks of preparation is required leading up to Fieldays to ensure business runs smoothly, and their busy period lasts two weeks, beginning on Sunday.

Bracing for the hectic week, Hertz has extra staff and has brought in cars from Auckland and the Bay of Plenty to cater for the demand.

Perry said it’s not just Hamilton City that will reap the benefits.

“Fieldays is the biggest event for Hamilton and its surrounding area economically,” she said.

“If you think about the one dollar and [the] number of times it is spent over the hour day period for accommodation, food, fuel, beverage…it is normally at four times multiplier.”

And most Hamilton motels are full, according to Waikato Motel Association President Neil Brimblecombe.

In fact, many exhibitors are being forced to stay in motels in nearby towns, or in the homes of locals who have decided to rent out their houses.

“People starting booking for the 2014 Fieldays between one to five years ago,” Brimblecombe said “Most are local and a small percentage are international visitors.”

Many started checking in on Sunday, he said.

He agreed the national event is big for the city, but other events that fail to gain publicity – such as the World Shooting Championships back in March – fill Hamilton motels too.