Lions supporters to stop by city

‘‘It’s been a most enjoyable tour so far. The only thing that spoilt it was the rugby.’’ Trevor Pretty, Lions supporter

Palmerston North may not be getting a game in the 2017 Lions tour, but can still expect a visit from the team’s legion of fans.

Top of their to-do list is the NZ Rugby Museum, with 22 bus-loads of fans already booked in to visit next week as the Lions supporter’s tour comes through town.

Museum director Stephen Berg said the tour was expected to be the busiest period for the museum since the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

‘‘It’s going to be chaos. We’ve got 240 people booked to come through over two hours on the Monday before the Hurricanes game.’’

A series of events was also being put on in the city, including a Lions choir and an attempt at the world’s largest scrum at the end of June.

Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith said although it had been decided the Lions would only play Super 15 teams, meaning the tour would skip town, an influx of thousands of Lions fans was still expected to travel through the city.

‘‘We’re going to get a bite of that tourism pie and we need to make sure the city’s prepared.’’

Palmerston North City Council’s visitor-spending benchmark is $68 a day, so with an average of 35 people a bus, the pre-bookings alone are expected to bring at least $52,360 into the city’s economy.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment estimates the average campervan of tourists spends about $195 per night. So, the 1600-strong horde of campervans following the tour, most of which are expected to stop in at the museum, could be worth up to $312,000 a day to Palmerston North.

Williment Sports Travel is assisting its UK sister company, Gulliver’s Sports Travel, with 600 UK Lions fans’ travel around the country.

Tour co-ordinator Phil Langridge said eight of Gulliver’s tour groups were headed to the NZ Rugby Museum and two would stay on in the city for the Lions match against the Hurricanes on June 27 in Wellington.

English Lions supporter Trevor Pretty was among those on the tour eager to get a glimpse of Kiwi rugby history.

‘‘Hopefully it contains more than all [New Zealand’s] trophies, or it’ll be a short tour.’’

Pretty had gone up and down the country following the Lions, and his only grumble was the team’s 2-2 record. ‘‘It’s been a most enjoyable tour so far. The only thing that spoilt it was the rugby.’’