‘Expensive flop’
$75k in public funding for app downloaded 2200 times
A$75,000 tourism app funded by Tauranga ratepayers has been labelled an “expensive flop” with costs working out to about $34 per download but authorities say it was worthwhile.
Information released under the Local Government Information and Meetings Act shows Tauranga City Council spent $45,000 on the development of the Te Ara Wha¯ nui app — a guide to the cultural history of Tauranga Moana.
Tourism Bay of Plenty (Tbop) — an entity jointly funded by councils in Tauranga, Western Bay of Plenty and Whakatāne — contributed an additional $30,000.
The free app was launched in September to coincide with Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) and it has since had about 2200 downloads — which works out to about $34 per download.
Te Ara Whānui offers information on local history, unique things to do, and places of importance, with synchronised narration in te reo Māori and English.
It also includes the council’s values, iwi and hapu¯ boundaries and a tool to create your own pepeha (introduction).
Tauranga Ratepayers’ Alliance spokeswoman Lynne Moore believed the app was “an expensive flop” and “no one would spend $34 of their own money on the app”.
In her opinion, it was an example of ratepayer dollars being spent “frivolously”.
Moore believed it made no sense to spend thousands when the information could have been put on the council website.
“Especially when residents are looking down the barrel of a . . . rates hike.”
Tauranga ratepayers overall face an average rise of 15.8 per cent, including a levy, or 11.1 per cent on average for residential ratepayers.
“Why is the council not doing everything it can to reduce the burden on ratepayers struggling with the rising cost of living,” Moore asked.
According to the council, about 50 hours of staff time was spent developing the app.
“Existing marketing channels” were used for marketing.
Asked what channels were used, council strategic Māori engagement manager Carlo Ellis said email groups and channels, training courses, and website channels — all already existing.
These were successful because they prioritised cost efficiency and allowed for organic growth “rather than paid promotional growth”, Ellis said.
“Industry reporting confirms that downloads and utilisation is higher than average despite the low-cost approach to promotion.” He believed the spending was
worth it.
Previously the council spent “a lot of time” addressing inquiries seeking information available on the app.
“Furthermore, without some of the information available on the app, many community processes were less efficient and costly in other ways. We have since had plenty of feedback thanking us for making this information available in a form that many community members prefer.”
Ellis said the council would keep promoting the app through its existing marketing channels and when people are looking for information available on the app.
Tbop chief executive Oscar Nathan believed the cost was worth it. He considered it a success and responsible spending of ratepayers’ money “particularly in terms of the efficient focus of resource, development and time taken to release this app on both the Apple and Google Play stores”.
He said the organisation promoted the app in its representations to travel trade, visiting media and at industry forums and updates, as well as through digital channels such as its bayofplentynz.com website, Facebook, Linkedin and email mailouts to various databases.
“TBOP’S existing marketing channels are very successful and, in this instance, provided a very costefficient and effective way to promote the app that shares many stories and resources relating to this special place that is Tauranga with both residents and locals alike.”
A Western Bay of Plenty District Council spokesperson said it was not involved in the creation and promotion of the app and did not contribute any direct funding.
The council funded and worked with TBOP to deliver agreed activities and to report performance.
“We hugely value the work Tourism Bay of Plenty does in the subregion, including elevating cultural tourism offerings, as this contributes to our economic wellbeing.”
Whakata¯ne District Council said it did not directly invest in the app.
Kiri Gillespie is an assistant news director and a senior journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, specialising in local politics and city issues. She was a finalist for the Voyager Media Awards Regional Journalist of the Year in 2021.