Page 10 - Chamber Voice Magazine Autumn 2024 FINAL
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Q U A R T E R L Y   E C O N O M I C S

      ECONOMIC  INSIGHT  TO  THE  MARLBOROUGH  REGION



      Infometrics Quarterly Economic Monitor - December 2023


      The Marlborough economy expanded by a                    Marlborough’s labour market is still very strong,
      modest 1.1% over the year to December 2023,              despite the economic headwinds. Filled jobs for
      according to provisional estimates from                  Marlborough residents increased 4.4% over the
      Infometrics. Although GDP has declined slightly          year to December 2023. Employment growth
      in the past two quarters, compared with the              was broad-based across industries with
      same quarters in the previous year, many of the          agricultural support services, food and beverage
      economic indicators we track reflect a resilient         manufacturing, health care, and
      economy.                                                 accommodation and food services making the
                                                               largest contribution. Strong employment
      Consumer spending was up 6.3% over the year              growth has kept the average unemployment
      to December 2023, which was above the                    rate for the year to December 2023 at 2.3%,
      inflation rate of 4.7%pa indicating an increase          which is a post-pandemic low.
      in the amount of goods households were
      consuming.                                               There is plenty of work in the pipeline for the
                                                               Marlborough construction sector. The value of
      Marlborough’s tourism sector is in relatively            non-residential consents over the year to
      good shape reflecting the recovery of                    December 2023 was about 50% above the 10-
      international visitor arrivals. Guest nights over        year average while residential consents were
      the year to December 2023 were up 18%. The               close to the 10-year average.
      growth in tourism expenditure was less
      impressive, at 8.6%pa. The gloss is coming off           In anticipation of the ending of the Clean Car
      New Zealand’s tourism recovery as arrivals from          Discount scheme the number of electric
      key markets such as Australia and China                  vehicles registered in Marlborough reached its
      stagnate and domestic tourism spending is                highest level (53) in the December 2023 quarter
      starting to pull back, reflecting some                   since our time series began in 2018. We expect
      households tightening their belts.                       the number to decline in the next few quarters
                                                               as the financial incentives to switch to electric
                                                               vehicles are rolled back.



                                                                              GDP in Marlborough District was
                                                                              provisionally up 1.1% for the year
                                                                              to December 2023, compared to a
                                                                              year earlier. Growth was higher
                                                                              than in New Zealand (0.7%).
                                                                              Provisional GDP was $3,872
                                                                              million in Marlborough District for
                                                                              the year to December 2023 (2023
                                                                              prices).
                                                                              Annual GDP growth in
                                                                              Marlborough District peaked at
                                                                              4.9% in the year to June 2021










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