CubaDupa Festival delivers a $1.17 million economic boost to central Wellington.
01 May 2025
CubaDupa has been a resounding success for Wellington’s economy, particularly for the hospitality and restaurant sectors, due to the following key factors:
1. Significant Economic Boost
The event generated $4.74 million in spending from midday Saturday to 4 AM Sunday.
An extra $1.17 million was spent in total compared to normal periods.
Overall, there was a 24% increase in spending, highlighting a direct financial uplift for businesses.
2. Impact on Hospitality and Restaurants
Spending in the Cuba Street precinct itself increased by 120%, showing that restaurants, bars, and cafés in the core event area saw a massive surge in business.
Hospitality businesses benefited not just during the event but also after CubaDupa ended, with continued spending momentum.
3. Local Engagement Driving Growth
Locals were the biggest contributors to the economic boost, spending an extra $835K, which is a 37% uplift in their usual expenditure.
Total local spending reached $3.11 million, showing strong community support for CubaDupa.
This suggests that the event strengthens the local economy by encouraging residents to dine out and enjoy entertainment.
4. Increased Visitor Spending
Visitors to Wellington also played a role, spending an extra $338K, a 26% uplift compared to a regular weekend.
Total visitor spending reached $1.63 million, which likely benefited accommodation providers, restaurants, and nightlife venues.
Key Insights from New Zealand's largest urban festival:
✅ $4.74M total spend – a 33% increase vs. a typical weekend
✅ 18,412 visitors – up 5,262 people from average visitor count
✅ Hospitality boom:Restaurants
🍽️ +50% ($932K)Bars & Nightclubs
🍻 +101% ($723K)Fast Food 🍔 +81% ($348K)
✅ Cuba Precinct spending +120%
✅ Wellington locals spent an additional $835K (+37%)
✅ Visitor spend hit $1.63M, up 26%
During Cuba Dupa and After Cuba Dupa
True = CubaDupa weekend
False = benchmark
Where was the spend? (120% increase in cube itself)
