British & Irish Lions fans set to converge on Wellington, New Zealand, are expected to inject NZ$30M ($21.9M) into the regional economy during their week-long stay, according to Collette Devlin of STUFF. The Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency estimated that "when the sold-out test match kicks off at Westpac Stadium on Saturday, 25,000 visitors will have packed into Wellington" -- about three-quarters of them int'l tourists. WREDA interim CEO Derek Fry said that this year's week-long schedule "would be of tremendous value to the region." Fry added, "Back when the series was being planned, we set out to secure back-to-back matches for Wellington, and we were absolutely delighted with the result. Visitors have more time to explore the region, Wellingtonians can enjoy a full week of excitement, and our visitor economy has greater opportunity to benefit." Wellingtonians are "gearing up for the once-in-12-year event, which looks set to be the busiest weekend in the city's history." One of the "biggest winners" will be the hospitality sector, which is "going to great lengths to ensure fans have a memorable time." The city's official family-friendly fan zone will be at Odlins Plaza on Wellington's waterfront, while an unofficial fan zone has been set up on Queens Wharf by Wellington Hospitality Group CEO Jamie Williams (STUFF, 6/25).
