‘Wow, there are some beauties down there’: Top region exposure prompts drive for workers

Nationwide publicity resulting from a Stuff study which showed Timaru is New Zealand’s best regional town to live in prompted the district’s economic and tourism agency to ramp up its campaign to attract workers.

Timaru came out tops in the study, in March, which compared 11 regions (without a metropolitan centre) based on unemployment rates, housing affordability, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, and sunshine hours.

The study, undertaken as the cost of living crisis continued to bite, followed a Stuff NowNext Local survey which found city dwellers were considering moving to the regions, and used information from Infometrics, Great South development agency, Stats NZ and MBIE.

In his quarterly report, tabled in the Timaru District Council meeting agenda for Tuesday, Venture Timaru chief executive Nigel Davenport says the agency has further amplified its social media campaigns in the North Island off the back of the stories about the study.

READ MORE:
* Chronic labour shortage needs a national response, regional agencies say
* ‘Pretty good place to be’: Timaru reacts to top spot in study
* Timaru District at risk of falling behind other areas in housing development

South Canterbury businesses have been crying out for workers to fill vacancies for some time, with solutions also being sought to address a lack of suitable housing to accommodate workers.

In 2018, the agency, which was then known as Aoraki Development, launched a cheeky campaign targetting Aucklanders in the hope short commutes, low house prices and the friendly southern lifestyle would attract them.

The We Love Timaru campaign saw billboards placed in high traffic areas of central Auckland.

In his latest report, Davenport says the agency began initial social media campaigns around its Timaru Story video, again targeting Auckland, and the wider North Island, in January/February.

“Very pleasing to also be ranked #1 region for relocation ex the metropolitans with this gaining significant attention nationally and locally,’’ he says.

The report references Stuff articles on Timaru District mayor Nigel Bowen’s reaction to the news, an American couple who fell in love with South Canterbury and moved here, and the reason why people agree Timaru is the best place to live.

Following the release of the results of theStuff study, there were also television appearances (made by Timaru representatives), Davenport says.

He says those articles were referenced in the amped up social media campaign which followed, as well as the television appearances, and the Timaru video.

He says, in the week leading up to the report, the Auckland-specific targeted campaign had attracted 21,000 viewers, while the rest of New Zealand specific campaign had 26,000 clicks.

“In total, social media-targeted campaigns since January have been clicked/viewed 76,700 times,’’ he says.

In comparison, since March Stuff’s stories on the study have garnered more than 243,000 views – the first story on the subject attracting 199k clicks.

The agency has had discussions with a variety of South Canterbury employers, recruiters, and human resource leaders to review workforce attraction resources, and is actively updating these across its website and social media platforms, Davenport says.

A variety of comments and emails had also been received as a result of the exposure, he says.

One of those was a message from someone who had seen Davenport on television and said “it could not have been better timing as my partner, and I, navigate what ‘moving out of Auckland, so we can purchase a house’ might look like’’.

“I have been on Trade Me all morning and wow! There are some beauties down there. Having never been, would you recommend particular suburbs over others to be looking at? We are heading down in a month to have a look around.’’

Another message was from a woman who “had just recently read the Stuff article ranking Timaru as the No.1 place to move to’’.

“She wanted to say she and many generations of her family have lived in Timaru, and wanted to say it’s a lovely place.’’

While another message said: “We lived there for 43 years and miss it very much. It’s a beautiful city with very little rain, a crisp coldness in winter that refreshes you, and is a hub to outreach a multitude of activities all accessible on day trips. A wonderful city to raise your children and beautifully laid out with its sparkling harbour with the mountains in the background. Nowhere better.’’

The report also says Venture Timaru continues to advocate for an “environment that excites and inspires property owners, developers and investors to actively progress developments that will bring diversity into our housing market’’.

This included inner/near city apartments and townhouses, infill and medium to large scale residential development.

While it was a “long game’’, it was working closely with the council to progress “opportunities associated with proactively developing and promoting opportunities in this space right across our district’’.