"Wairoa is ready to boom and it's a great town for tourism", with potential galore for local businesses.

Those are among many key themes that will become topics of conversation at a networking event many local entrepreneurs have been invited to next week.

Wairoa District Council and Hawke's Bay business networking group Great Things Grow Here are hosting local businesses at a social engagement event on Thursday to help them establish networks.

Council invited the group to Wairoa to hold the event, which is usually held in the Napier-Hastings district.

Council's chief executive Steven May says he hopes local businesses will have the opportunity to showcase to the Hawke's Bay business community their potential and contribution to this community.

"This is also the perfect opportunity to relaunch and formalise a Wairoa business association... this could further diversify what we already have in Wairoa and allow our community to start conversations around business growth" Mr May says.

"Wairoa has a lot to offer in the economic development and tourism space... our quiet corner of the country offers some of the best outdoor adventure experiences and the people here welcome you like they are your own whanau."

Great Things Grow Here regional marketing advisor Sam Jackman is so impressed with Wairoa's potential that not only has he bought a house here, he's expecting the district to boom.

"I don't think Wairoa realises the potential it has," Mr Jackman says.

"The whole of Wairoa and Hawke's Bay has enormous potential, and our brand (Great Things Grow Here) is about uniting and promoting the whole region, on a national and international stage.

"This event is about businesses getting together, talking to each other and collaborating to get things off the ground."

Mr Jackman is encouraging local businesses to promote the Great Things Grow Here brand. He says there is no cost to businesses to take part in this initiative, if they wish to promote the brand.

"If we all work together we can promote Wairoa and Hawke's Bay collectively without anyone doing this individually and having nothing behind them."

31 October 2018

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