A report from library-service centre manager Vicki Darling painted a rosy picture for tourism in South Otago in April, following a 16% increase in total monthly information centre visitors (5719) compared to last year.
The increase is the first rise after a consistently downward trend during the past four years, where visitors had dropped 39% from a five-year April high of 8021 in 2014-15, to 4920 in 2017-18.
Key beneficiaries of the boost were Balclutha and Lawrence, with respective increases of 28% and 25% this April.
Building statistics for Clutha were detailed in a report from regulatory services administrator Wendy Copeland.
Both March and April experienced significant increases in total project value district-wide, compared to the same period last year.
March was up nearly 70%, at $4,524,412 (45 projects), and April up 78%, at $4,030,023 (41 projects).
The year to April, from July 1, 2018, was also up compared to the previous year, by 30% to $35,123,701 total (406 projects).
There were 349 projects during the same period last year; the biggest gains in project numbers this year are in commercial/industrial, farm, and new dwelling buildings.
