Carterton has been voted the ‘most hospitable’ town in New Zealand, according to popular homestay website Airbnb.
The figures provided by Airbnb show the top 10 cities or towns across Aotearoa with the highest percentage of 5-star places to stay.
All 10 entries on the list are from regional areas, which Airbnb said “[proves] that regional areas are home to the country’s most hospitable towns.”
A spokesperson for the Carterton District Council [CDC] wasn’t surprised with the results.
“Everyone who lives in Carterton knows what a unique and welcoming district we have, so natural we’re really pleased that this has been recognised by our visitors,” they said.
“There is plenty to do and see, and we encourage people to come and visit to take advantage of the award-winning businesses and tourism opportunities to see what all the fuss is about,” the spokesperson said.
Carterton Mayor Ron Mark called the recognition a “pleasant surprise.”
“Generally speaking, Carterton is renowned for its hospitality,” he said, citing it as one of the reasons he returned to Wairarapa with his wife.
“I like to think it’s about the whole Wairarapa; as a region, it’s a pretty cool place to come to,” he said.
Mark noted that Masterton had also won awards recently and that towns in South Wairarapa were worth a visit.
“It’s good to know that Carterton is keeping its end up,” he said.
Anecdotally, Mark had noticed people moving from metropolitan areas to the Wairarapa region.
It’s safer, the standard of education is high, and the “outdoors life is just second to none,” he said.
“The sports clubs tend to punch above their weight for a region of only 50 thousand,” he added.
Carterton’s event centre is also a finalist for Small Venue of The Year at the Entertainment Venues Association NZ Awards.
The Airbnb report was released as part of the platform’s new features, including ‘Guest Favourites’, which users can use to prioritise homestays with higher ratings.
New Zealand’s most hospitable towns, cities and regions [according to Airbnb]:
Carterton, Wellington
South Taranaki,
Taranaki Region
Waipa, Waikato Region
South Waikato, Waikato Region
Matamata-Piako,
Waikato Region
Selwyn, Canterbury
Rangitikei,
Manawatu-Whanganui
Hauraki, Waikato Region
Hastings, Hawke’s Bay Region
Waimakariri, Canterbury
