April 12, 2026 • 10 mins
Ultra Music Festival was held in Wellington on Friday night and sold over 23,000 tickets, bringing people from all over the country into our CBD.
Nick speaks to Wellington City Chamber of Commerce CEO Hayley Horan about the impact on the businesses from the influx of people.
They also discuss the latest poll from RNZ which found nearly two‑thirds of business owners believe the current state of the economy is "bad" or "very bad" and 83% are stressed.
Nick asks what can be done to deescalate the stresses for Wellington business owners.
Horan shares her insider knowledge of how businesses are reacting to the times.
Did Ultra Festival bring up business confidence in the CBD? Are events the thing that will bring back hope in the city?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk said b.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We're lucky to have a guest, special guest Hailey Horran,
as Chief Executive Wellington's Chamber of Commerce. Ultrasold over twenty
three thousand tickets and Wellington sees some sort of economic
growth over the weekend. We'll find out.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Hailey, good morning, Good morning, Mack.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
How are you. I'm great? Thanks. Tell me what difference
a gig like Ultra makes to the city and to
your people.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Oh, I think let's start with the energy, the creativity
and the connection. Twenty three thousand people. I don't know
what the percentages of outside of Wellingtonians, but every single
Instagram post of my why demographical friends went along and
people are going to come back. It's like, Oh I
heard all this negative narrative about Wellington. Look at the weather,
(00:56):
Look at this incredible event. Look at the way we
can just go to hospitality ten minutes to anywhere retail.
I think it's just created this buzz. And who you're
talking about the hurricanes there as well, So yay are
one for the hurricanes?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah? The Wahini that was the day of the Wahini disaster.
Did you know that that that promoter took a risk
on that particular day.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
I did not know that.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Isn't that incredible that we had such a beautiful day
for it?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Ah?
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Is it incredible though?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
That's just a normal Dame Wellington surely. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
But this period of time we always have a little
bit of you know, indifferent weather. Do you know how
we don't have a clue how many people came to
the city. What are your members, people that run businesses
in Wellington saying, Oh, look.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
They're saying it's good for the city.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
They're saying it's good for the entire region actually, because
you got to remember that every time someone visits our city,
they're using whether it's an uber, a taxi, public transport,
they're coming along, they're visiting Tipapa, They're going to our
retail I went.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Shopping on Saturday.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
The stores were packed, people were spending their money. You know,
I think what we're hearing and I actually heard on
the weekend from some of our retail members that this
is just great.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
And it's not just I know, the till.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Matters and the cash matters, but actually it's the energy
and the confidence it brings and this is mymentum for us.
Right we opened the library, keep a duper We're onto this.
I mean, I just really think this is that feeling
we need to say. Hey, Yes, in a lot of ways,
there's a lot going on that's not so great.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
But when the city comes.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Together and can show the rest of New Zealand and
those that maybe have come from outside of New Zealand
to these events, there's a lot here to do and see.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Now a lot of your members will be moaning continuously
because I know they've had You've had had a discussion
with Andrew Little over it, and you've had a whole
group of people talking to him about it. The rape bill.
Now should we know? Should your members and should we
as the general public are willing to know what it
costs the council and what it costs to put that
(02:57):
event on. From a rape payers.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Point of view, Oh, transparency matters.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
We hear that from our business owners.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
So yes, it should be transparent. And let's measure that
when we have all the data around it as well,
So one number going out as a blunt instrument, let's
look at the whole holistic value.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
But we do support transparency.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Yes, do you think that money could have been spent
in some way that could have actually helped businesses in Wellington,
you know. I mean, I'm not trying to be a
negative any because I'm all for it as well. But
I'm just trying to work out, you know, because some
of the numbers that we're banding around from people that
should know on the weekend, we're pretty high. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Sure, but I mean this will always be an argument
with any investment, should it be left or should it
be right?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Should it go here or should it go there.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
I think that that is always going to be a
challenge when you spend money. But let's just pause for
a moment and say, we are shifting the narrative of
our fabulous.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
City to what we can do.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
We can hold events at this level, we can open
the heart of our city like a library and have
everyone come along.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
We are actually.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Doing things and we're taking a step forward. So sure,
we have a very very fabulous diverse business community, and
these events are not going to touch all corners.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Of that diverse business community. But I've heard nothing but positivity.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
It is only Monday, but certainly I haven't heard anyone
call us and say that was a really bad idea
and does it need to be wider investment. That argument
will always exist and absolutely we will support what our
members ask us to support.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
So far, we're just hearing great things.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Haley. While I've got you on the line, I've got
to ask you because we spoke this morning about an
R and ZID pole that two thirds of respondents believe
the current state of the economy is bad or very bad,
and eighty three percent of business people that responded to
the pole said that they were extremely stressed in business.
What are you hearing? Well?
Speaker 4 (04:56):
The last confidence survey was the end of last year.
We've got another one coming out shortly. We absolutely pick
up that theme, but we also got the theme that
there's been a lot of disruption and a lot of
resilience built. We had seventy seven percent of our members
expect increased costs, which they obviously aren't happy about, but
(05:16):
also eighty five percent of them said that they felt
that they could deal with the disruption.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
So it's a real balance.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
There's a glimmer of hope and our business people stress.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
I put it this way, majority of.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
New Zealand businesses are small to medium businesses and they
are the shock absorbers of everything.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
That goes on in the economy.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
So we absolutely see that there's that stress out there.
We're seeing more of our members wanting to come along.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
To networking events and meeting.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Other businesses just to keep their energy out and their
confidence up to So we are seeing a sense of that,
but we're also seeing that realistic optimism that together and
changing business models and working together, there's a little light
on the hill that we can do this.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
You must feel for the stress level. Though there's an
old adage that hard work won't kill you, stress does.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Yeah, that's right, And I'll tell you that. We are
seeing from our business members more requests to meet other businesses.
So we are seeing a huge list in that requirement
for human connection. Hey, it's a bit tough out there.
When's your next business after five? When's your next CEO roundtable?
Who else is dealing with this problem? What we're seeing
is that that human connection has never been more important.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
So, yes, is a stress there.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
And yes to people actually want to connect and share
and innovate and have some new ideas for maybe a
common problem. We're also seeing that and I think that's
that's really important.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
See, I thought that exactly the same thing. When I
spoke to someone I said it on the show. I
spoke to someone that's I would perceive as probably one
of the most busiest restaurants in the Wellington, and I
asked him on Thursday, this is walking past, how you doing?
Like as you would I, I would say, how you doing?
And he said, you know, he said he's getting there?
You know he was He was not positive, and I
(07:05):
was thinking, to myst how can it not be positive.
I can't remember the exact word, but he just a
word that says, hey, I'm getting through it.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Absolutely, And we're seeing that, not just in hospitality, but
we're actually seeing some businesses that are doing really, really well,
and we need to shout those out as well, going
is there anything we can sponsor, how can we help?
We're seeing some really great community conversations happening and I
find that really heartwarming.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
And I do too. And we had a texture when
I was talking about this on the show, said he's
had his best quarter and ten years, but he didn't
want to brag about because it's wrong to brag about it.
And I went back. I didn't go he didn't come
on airs, but I said on air. Celebrate the damn thing.
You're our heroes. We've got to celebrate what are you
doing differently than other people could be doing. Surely we
(07:56):
should be sharing that.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Oh absolutely, And again that's what we're seeing.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
We're seeing that our members are wanting more from us
in terms of events, but events we are actually going
to meet other businesses that maybe be solving for the
problem that they have in a different way, in a
different We're seeing a lot of it. Companies wanting to
speak to hospitality or retail wanting to speak with builders
who might be dealing with certain things. We're seeing this
(08:21):
cross pollination of our diverse business community going. I can't
just sit at home and stew over this myself. I
really want to come along record numbers at some of
our events.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
And that's a real.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Indication of I don't know, it's you know, it sounds
a bit worried, but it really is an indication of
us wanting to come together and solve for this problem,
especially in this city.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
You know what. I also would could put that to
the other side and say that, hey, that people just
want to want some sort of confidence and confidence and
numbers is confidence, isn't it?
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Well, absolutely, and we are seeing that one of the
biggest barriers and challenges at the moment is actually consumer confidence, right,
and consumer confidence comes from narrative. So coming back to
your question around the Ultra Waterfront event, it does make
you feel a little bit more confident, a little bit like, hey,
you know, if we can do this, then we can
(09:12):
do pretty much anything in the city. And so I
think that narrative and sharing the good news stories, the
example that you gave actually has us just have that
little bit of energy and do something a little bit different.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Yeah, we should celebrate those doing well, shouldn't we? Do
you do that? Do you as an organization do that? Enough?
Speaker 4 (09:31):
We can always do more, but actually you just keep
an eye on our websites. We've got some really neat
events coming up, sharing the longevity stories of some of
our members. I won't say any more on that, but
keep in touch with us.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Okay, definitely, Well, thank you for joining us this morning,
and I like you hope that we signed this Ultra
for twenty years. You know, they clearly want a long
term relationship. It's a golden opportunity and it's so good
to hear that. The promoter I know that we must
have written some big checks and I know that, but
the promoter said, hey, let's bring it. The international team
(10:04):
wanted it to be played in Auckland and they said, no,
bring it to Wellington. So we're lucky. Hailey, thanks for
chatting to us this morning.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Thank you so much. Thank here you.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Too, Haley Horn. They are chief executive of Wellington Chamber
of Commerce. All pretty positive stuff there, isn't it. We
know it's tough, we know it's tough out there, but
isn't it good to be able to celebrate an international
event on our foreshore.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks There'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk said b.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We're lucky to have a guest, special guest Hailey Horran,
as Chief Executive Wellington's Chamber of Commerce. Ultrasold over twenty
three thousand tickets and Wellington sees some sort of economic
growth over the weekend. We'll find out.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Hailey, good morning, Good morning, Mack.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
How are you. I'm great? Thanks. Tell me what difference
a gig like Ultra makes to the city and to
your people.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Oh, I think let's start with the energy, the creativity
and the connection. Twenty three thousand people. I don't know
what the percentages of outside of Wellingtonians, but every single
Instagram post of my why demographical friends went along and
people are going to come back. It's like, Oh I
heard all this negative narrative about Wellington. Look at the weather,
(00:56):
Look at this incredible event. Look at the way we
can just go to hospitality ten minutes to anywhere retail.
I think it's just created this buzz. And who you're
talking about the hurricanes there as well, So yay are
one for the hurricanes?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah? The Wahini that was the day of the Wahini disaster.
Did you know that that that promoter took a risk
on that particular day.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
I did not know that.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Isn't that incredible that we had such a beautiful day
for it?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Ah?
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Is it incredible though?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
That's just a normal Dame Wellington surely. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
But this period of time we always have a little
bit of you know, indifferent weather. Do you know how
we don't have a clue how many people came to
the city. What are your members, people that run businesses
in Wellington saying, Oh, look.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
They're saying it's good for the city.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
They're saying it's good for the entire region actually, because
you got to remember that every time someone visits our city,
they're using whether it's an uber, a taxi, public transport,
they're coming along, they're visiting Tipapa, They're going to our
retail I went.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Shopping on Saturday.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
The stores were packed, people were spending their money. You know,
I think what we're hearing and I actually heard on
the weekend from some of our retail members that this
is just great.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
And it's not just I know, the till.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Matters and the cash matters, but actually it's the energy
and the confidence it brings and this is mymentum for us.
Right we opened the library, keep a duper We're onto this.
I mean, I just really think this is that feeling
we need to say. Hey, Yes, in a lot of ways,
there's a lot going on that's not so great.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
But when the city comes.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Together and can show the rest of New Zealand and
those that maybe have come from outside of New Zealand
to these events, there's a lot here to do and see.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Now a lot of your members will be moaning continuously
because I know they've had You've had had a discussion
with Andrew Little over it, and you've had a whole
group of people talking to him about it. The rape bill.
Now should we know? Should your members and should we
as the general public are willing to know what it
costs the council and what it costs to put that
(02:57):
event on. From a rape payers.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Point of view, Oh, transparency matters.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
We hear that from our business owners.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
So yes, it should be transparent. And let's measure that
when we have all the data around it as well,
So one number going out as a blunt instrument, let's
look at the whole holistic value.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
But we do support transparency.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Yes, do you think that money could have been spent
in some way that could have actually helped businesses in Wellington,
you know. I mean, I'm not trying to be a
negative any because I'm all for it as well. But
I'm just trying to work out, you know, because some
of the numbers that we're banding around from people that
should know on the weekend, we're pretty high. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Sure, but I mean this will always be an argument
with any investment, should it be left or should it
be right?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Should it go here or should it go there.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
I think that that is always going to be a
challenge when you spend money. But let's just pause for
a moment and say, we are shifting the narrative of
our fabulous.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
City to what we can do.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
We can hold events at this level, we can open
the heart of our city like a library and have
everyone come along.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
We are actually.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Doing things and we're taking a step forward. So sure,
we have a very very fabulous diverse business community, and
these events are not going to touch all corners.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Of that diverse business community. But I've heard nothing but positivity.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
It is only Monday, but certainly I haven't heard anyone
call us and say that was a really bad idea
and does it need to be wider investment. That argument
will always exist and absolutely we will support what our
members ask us to support.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
So far, we're just hearing great things.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Haley. While I've got you on the line, I've got
to ask you because we spoke this morning about an
R and ZID pole that two thirds of respondents believe
the current state of the economy is bad or very bad,
and eighty three percent of business people that responded to
the pole said that they were extremely stressed in business.
What are you hearing? Well?
Speaker 4 (04:56):
The last confidence survey was the end of last year.
We've got another one coming out shortly. We absolutely pick
up that theme, but we also got the theme that
there's been a lot of disruption and a lot of
resilience built. We had seventy seven percent of our members
expect increased costs, which they obviously aren't happy about, but
(05:16):
also eighty five percent of them said that they felt
that they could deal with the disruption.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
So it's a real balance.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
There's a glimmer of hope and our business people stress.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
I put it this way, majority of.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
New Zealand businesses are small to medium businesses and they
are the shock absorbers of everything.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
That goes on in the economy.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
So we absolutely see that there's that stress out there.
We're seeing more of our members wanting to come along.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
To networking events and meeting.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Other businesses just to keep their energy out and their
confidence up to So we are seeing a sense of that,
but we're also seeing that realistic optimism that together and
changing business models and working together, there's a little light
on the hill that we can do this.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
You must feel for the stress level. Though there's an
old adage that hard work won't kill you, stress does.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Yeah, that's right, And I'll tell you that. We are
seeing from our business members more requests to meet other businesses.
So we are seeing a huge list in that requirement
for human connection. Hey, it's a bit tough out there.
When's your next business after five? When's your next CEO roundtable?
Who else is dealing with this problem? What we're seeing
is that that human connection has never been more important.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
So, yes, is a stress there.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
And yes to people actually want to connect and share
and innovate and have some new ideas for maybe a
common problem. We're also seeing that and I think that's
that's really important.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
See, I thought that exactly the same thing. When I
spoke to someone I said it on the show. I
spoke to someone that's I would perceive as probably one
of the most busiest restaurants in the Wellington, and I
asked him on Thursday, this is walking past, how you doing?
Like as you would I, I would say, how you doing?
And he said, you know, he said he's getting there?
You know he was He was not positive, and I
(07:05):
was thinking, to myst how can it not be positive.
I can't remember the exact word, but he just a
word that says, hey, I'm getting through it.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Absolutely, And we're seeing that, not just in hospitality, but
we're actually seeing some businesses that are doing really, really well,
and we need to shout those out as well, going
is there anything we can sponsor, how can we help?
We're seeing some really great community conversations happening and I
find that really heartwarming.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
And I do too. And we had a texture when
I was talking about this on the show, said he's
had his best quarter and ten years, but he didn't
want to brag about because it's wrong to brag about it.
And I went back. I didn't go he didn't come
on airs, but I said on air. Celebrate the damn thing.
You're our heroes. We've got to celebrate what are you
doing differently than other people could be doing. Surely we
(07:56):
should be sharing that.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Oh absolutely, And again that's what we're seeing.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
We're seeing that our members are wanting more from us
in terms of events, but events we are actually going
to meet other businesses that maybe be solving for the
problem that they have in a different way, in a
different We're seeing a lot of it. Companies wanting to
speak to hospitality or retail wanting to speak with builders
who might be dealing with certain things. We're seeing this
(08:21):
cross pollination of our diverse business community going. I can't
just sit at home and stew over this myself. I
really want to come along record numbers at some of
our events.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
And that's a real.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Indication of I don't know, it's you know, it sounds
a bit worried, but it really is an indication of
us wanting to come together and solve for this problem,
especially in this city.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
You know what. I also would could put that to
the other side and say that, hey, that people just
want to want some sort of confidence and confidence and
numbers is confidence, isn't it?
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Well, absolutely, and we are seeing that one of the
biggest barriers and challenges at the moment is actually consumer confidence, right,
and consumer confidence comes from narrative. So coming back to
your question around the Ultra Waterfront event, it does make
you feel a little bit more confident, a little bit like, hey,
you know, if we can do this, then we can
(09:12):
do pretty much anything in the city. And so I
think that narrative and sharing the good news stories, the
example that you gave actually has us just have that
little bit of energy and do something a little bit different.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Yeah, we should celebrate those doing well, shouldn't we? Do
you do that? Do you as an organization do that? Enough?
Speaker 4 (09:31):
We can always do more, but actually you just keep
an eye on our websites. We've got some really neat
events coming up, sharing the longevity stories of some of
our members. I won't say any more on that, but
keep in touch with us.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Okay, definitely, Well, thank you for joining us this morning,
and I like you hope that we signed this Ultra
for twenty years. You know, they clearly want a long
term relationship. It's a golden opportunity and it's so good
to hear that. The promoter I know that we must
have written some big checks and I know that, but
the promoter said, hey, let's bring it. The international team
(10:04):
wanted it to be played in Auckland and they said, no,
bring it to Wellington. So we're lucky. Hailey, thanks for
chatting to us this morning.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Thank you so much. Thank here you.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Too, Haley Horn. They are chief executive of Wellington Chamber
of Commerce. All pretty positive stuff there, isn't it. We
know it's tough, we know it's tough out there, but
isn't it good to be able to celebrate an international
event on our foreshore.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks There'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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