New Zealand’s Highland Games – driving heritage tourism
As Auckland says cheery bye to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, an event that filled Eden Park and the central suburbs with a tremendous skirl, it is worth remembering that Scotland’s living heritage does not only appear on these islands during blockbuster events.
New Zealand’s annual Highland Games circuit has recently concluded, with an exceptionally dreich (and therefore thoroughly Scottish) event in Paeroa on the 14th February. Communities across the country, from Waipū to Hororata, have celebrated their links to Scotland with Highland Games for more than a century (long before the Military Tattoo became a global touring force).
Highland Games are not only nostalgic gatherings of tartan and tradition. What lies beneath the kilt is a story of economic engines, helping to build regional identity, community cohesion, and driving regional tourism.
Heritage as an economic asset
While ticketing numbers for the 2026 Auckland Tattoo have yet to be released, we know from Wellington’s 2016 edition that around 82,000 seats were filled, demonstrating the scale of appetite for Scottish cultural events. But on a smaller, more distributed scale, New Zealand’s Highland Games deliver repeated economic benefits for regional communities every year.
Events such as the Waipū Highland Games, Turakina, Paeroa, and the Hororata Highland Games draw thousands of visitors who spend across hospitality, accommodation, transport, retail, and local services.
Hororata is a standout example. Its Highland Games attract roughly 11,000 attendees annually and are delivered by more than 200 volunteers. The event acts as a major fundraiser for the Hororata Community Trust, directly supporting rural resilience and rebuilding efforts. What began as a cultural festival has become a cornerstone of local development.
In 2019, economic analysis from the University of Canterbury estimated the Hororata games brought $370,000 of economic benefits to the Selwyn District. International events tell a similar story: The Greater Moncton Highland Games in Canada projected more than $1 million (CAD) in economic impact for their 2025 event, which was supported by 400 competitors and 2,000 spectators, over a third of whom travelled from outside the region.
Diaspora economics: how can identity act as a development tool
Underlying the strength of these events in New Zealand is an enduring Scottish diaspora identity, one that appears to influence tourism behaviour and community engagement.
Waipū offers perhaps the clearest example. Established by Scottish settlers who migrated via Nova Scotia, the town’s identity is still interwoven with its Highland heritage. Its museum tells the remarkable migration story. The local brewery (named after the Reverend Norman McLeod) is a cultural icon. And the Waipū Highland Games, one of the oldest in the world at over 150 years, continue to draw crowds from across New Zealand and the world.
There is some evidence to suggest heritage tourists will return to the same destination more frequently than general visitors and are more likely to recommend the destination to others. For Waipū, proceeds from the games have been funnelled into community projects, such as the Celtic Barn and in the form of scholarships for members of the community to study in Scotland.
The dynamic can be summarised in four key effects:
| Values-driven demand | Visitors are not only seeking entertainment; they are also looking for a sense of heritage and belonging |
| Community-built supply | Local volunteers, artisans, athletes, and councils collaborate to run these events, keeping profits circulating locally. |
| Long-term compounding impact | Events with long histories can reinvest continually in place-based infrastructure, anchoring annual tourism cycles. |
| Authenticity as competitive advantage | Highland Games offer something few events can: a globally recognised cultural tradition with emotional resonance and intergenerational appeal. |
For tourism, the implications are clear:
- Cultural heritage can be a strategic economic asset, not an afterthought
- Diaspora identity can be mobilised to create enduring tourism demand
- Events can become catalysts for branding, investment, and community cohesion
- Smaller regional centres can compete successfully for visitors by leaning into authentic cultural narratives.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo gave Auckland its moment of spectacle, a grand showcase of Scottish tradition on a stadium scale. But the real heartbeat of Scotland across these islands lives year-round in the local paddocks, village greens, and community fields where cabers fall, pipers march, and ancient traditions are kept burning like a guid peat fire.
How can Sapere support regional tourism?
Sapere provides independent economic impact analysis, regional development modelling, and programme evaluation to help councils, event organisers, and tourism agencies quantify the value of cultural heritage initiatives and design sustainable growth strategies. Contact us to discuss how we can support your regional development objectives.
