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Introduction

Infometrics sector profiles provide data on a range of employment, business and productivity characteristics for the sport and recreation sector.

Having economic data, such as GDP, employment, and business information, is not only important for demonstrating the economic context of these sectors but is also an essential puzzle piece for our understanding of the wide value of these sectors.

This is the first Sport and Recreation profile that Manatū Taonga has made available in collaboration with Sport New Zealand.  The latest annual data (excluding forecasts) is to March 2024.

About the profiles

Since 2020, Manatū Taonga has measured the economic characteristics of the arts and creative sector using custom profiles of business and employment data supplied by Infometrics Ltd. These profiles more closely represent the sector than the standard StatsNZ Arts and Recreation profile.

The profiles use government employment and business data using standard occupation (ANZSCO) and industry (ANZSIC) codes. Manatū Taonga has used a combination of industries and occupations to define and better represent the sector.

Summary of key data

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

The Sport and Recreation economic profile contribution for the year to March 2024 is $8 billion or 1.9 percent GDP contribution.

There was 5.1 percent growth in sport and recreation sector GDP contribution for the year to March 2024 – compared to 1.4 percent for the total economy.

Employment and businesses

Primary employment in the sport and recreation sector grew by 4.2 percent in the year to March 2024 to 72,777 filled jobs, compared to 2.2 percent growth for the total economy. 

There are 17,573 businesses in the sport and recreation sector, a growth of 3.2 percent from the prior year – compared to 0.9 percent for the total economy.

The table below provides further information about employment and business growth across the cultural system.

By 2030, primary employment in the sport and recreation sector is expected to grow to 83,281 filled jobs. 15.4 percent of people with primary jobs in the sport and recreation sector are self-employed, compared to 15.5 percent of the total economy.

Regional differences

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland continues to be the home of the bulk of the sport and recreation sector, responsible for $3.0 billion of the sector’s GDP contribution, 43.8 percent of employment (23,961 jobs), and 32.8 percent of businesses (5,757 businesses).

Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington (8,597 filled jobs) and Waitaha Canterbury (9,718 filled jobs) have the next highest proportion of creative workers.

Which regions do people work in?

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For more information, please contact our Insights team at [email protected]