WOW show delivers record $32.6m boost to Wellington economy

Monday, 9 February 2026

The 2025 World of WearableArt show delivered its biggest-ever economic boost to Wellington, generating an estimated $32.6 million for the region, according to new figures released by WellingtonNZ.

An evaluation, commissioned by the city’s regional economic development agency, found the season attracted more than 60,000 attendees over 2½ weeks, with more than half travelling from outside the region.

Those visitors accounted for an estimated 69,000 visitor nights, supporting local hospitality, accommodation and retail businesses. WellingtonNZ declined to release the full report, citing commercial sensitivities.

Heidi Morton, WellingtonNZ’s general manager of events and experiences, said the results reinforced WOW’s significance to the capital after 20 years as host city.

Since 2005, the total visitor spend in Wellington driven by WOW is estimated to be $344m.

WOW chief executive Meg Williams said the season highlighted the show’s cultural and economic impact, with audience satisfaction reported at 96%.

The evaluation also found strong community benefits, with 95% of resident attendees saying major events like WOW increase their pride in the Wellington region.

WOW will announce its 2026 show theme later this year, with tickets going on sale on March 24. The season will run from September 17 to October 4.

Each year there are six section themes or worlds that designers can create garments for. Three are recurring: Aotearoa, Avant-garde and Open. The three changeable sections for 2026 are Metallic, Kinetic, plus the return of the popular Bizarre Bra category.