The impact of Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow on the regional economy over the past 36 years has cracked the $300M mark, the Warbirds management team has estimated.

This Easter’s airshow - the first in six years - generated more than $40M for the regional economy, according to its 2024 Economic Impact Assessment Report.

Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshows Ltd chair Paul Moodie said a “conservative estimate” of the economic impact over the event’s lifetime has put the total impact at around $305M. 

“There are numerous community groups which benefit financially from being involved in helping deliver the airshow,” he said.

“For some of these it’s a significant part of their fund-raising every couple of years. We are also extremely proud of our free community lakeside airshow which attracts thousands of people.”

Paul said the 2024 Economic Impact Assessment Report includes some encouraging statistics for the event.

“Our overall satisfaction rating was 98 percent which was up on the last airshow in 2018. Numbers-wise we welcomed some 64,800 guests over the three days (up 18 percent on 2018) with the Saturday and Sunday of the airshow selling out. 

“There was a drop in the number of international visitors but this was more than made up for by a surge in the numbers of Kiwis attending.”

Paul added that 45 percent of visitors were attending the Wānaka airshow for the first time, which bodes well for the future.

He said parking and traffic management was identified as an area of concern, and airshow management is talking with various parties around how this can be improved for 2026, including offering more alternative transport options.

Paul said the management team is now planning for Easter 2026 with confidence. 

“Many long-time airshow participants and visitors reckon 2024 was the best Wanaka airshow ever. The pressure is now on the team to beat it.”

The next airshow will be held in 2026 from April 3-5, with tickets going on sale in early July next year.