Inaugural ULTRA New Zealand Delivers Multi-Million-Dollar Impact for the Capital

The sold-out inaugural ULTRA New Zealand Music Festival, which welcomed 25,000 to Wellington in April, resulted in $5.4 million of new visitor spend, according to an event economics report by Fresh Info Ltd. 

The event was promoted by New Zealand-based Audiology Touring and supported by both WellingtonNZ Major Events and the government’s Events Attraction Package. It was the first time the globally-recognised ULTRA brand was in the country, and transformed the Wellington waterfront into an international celebration of music, creativity, and community. 

The Fresh Info Ltd report revealed that 40% of event attendees were from out of region, and confirmed an average of 2.43 nights per visitor, $575 spend per visitor, and an impressive 93% event satisfaction score, the latter recognising the city’s status as Aotearoa’s events capital. 

Heidi Morton, GM Events & Experiences at WellingtonNZ, says that ULTRA New Zealand has delivered returns beyond expectations, which have benefitted the region both economically and culturally. 

“With high out-of-region visitation, increased visitor spend, and strong publicity and profile across the motu, this event showed how Wellington continues to leverage major events to drive more economic growth, support more local businesses, and create more memorable experiences.” 

The benefits stretch broadly, with local musicians getting the rare opportunity to perform at a globally-known festival next to some of dance music’s biggest names. 

Kiwi acts including Broderbeats, In:Motion, Joey Illah, Lenni Vibe, Paige Julia, Pixie Lane, Repair, and Twofold shared the bill alongside international superstars such as The Chainsmokers, DJ Snake, Zedd, Oliver Heldens, and Alison Wonderland. 
 
Mitch Lowe, Group Director at Audiology Touring, says: “Something really special about this festival is that we programme both huge global artists alongside local up-and-comers. This is our investment in the future of our country's electronic music scene, helping to elevate homegrown talent and inspire the next generation of artists.” 

While attendees enjoyed the array of bass-heavy performances on the sunny festival day, restaurants, cafés, bars, and retailers across the city reported heightened activity right across the festival weekend. While the one-day event was on a Friday, many visitors chose to make the most of their time in the capital and made a weekend of it. 

Mike Ny, Director at Food Envy - which provided the event catering for the festival - and co-owner of Glou Glou Espresso and Wine Bar, says the festival provided an amazing opportunity for local suppliers and hospitality businesses. 

"ULTRA was a huge moment for both of our businesses. Food Envy catered Premium GA and VIP admission - a job we were proud to land, and proof of the trust event organisers put in Wellington hospitality. Glou Glou, our espresso and wine bar, was right in the path of the crowds and saw a 15.5% lift for ULTRA weekend. 

“Events of this scale don’t just benefit the businesses directly involved, they lift hospitality across the city. We’d love to see ULTRA return to Wellington and back other large-scale events to be hosted here.”

Wellington resident festival attendees also showed their support for the festival with 97% of resident event attendees saying they agreed or strongly agreed that hosting events like this one
makes Wellington region a more enjoyable place to live.

The 2027 festival details are expected to be revealed soon, with Mitch Lowe hinting at an announcement within the next few months: “The response to the first ULTRA New Zealand exceeded all our expectations, a massive thank you to the fans who made the Wellington debut a night to remember! We’re working on something even bigger next year, so watch this space.” 

To discover more upcoming events in Wellington, visit WellingtonNZ.

Date published: 9 July 2026