Doing Business in Central Otago

Welcome to “Doing Business” in Central Otago.

Our intention is to provide a one-stop shop for business related statistics regarding Central Otago.

This is the site for you if you are:

looking to establish a business in Central Otago
looking to expand your business here in Central Otago
trying to get a better feel for the local economy and community
wondering whether there are agencies or associations that can assist you

Central Otago is a good place to do business. There has been strong population growth, incomes have increased and the existing support infrastructure is excellent. Also, the Central Otago District Council has a positive attitude to business development and is a good partner to work with. There are, however, some fairly unique challenges. These include the most extreme climate on mainland New Zealand and a high degree of seasonality as local and international visitors flock into the area over summer.

Several key sources of information have been sorted and summarised to provide this information. These are:

Census data; Statistics New Zealand
BERL Central Otago Economic Profile
Otago Regional Council; Grow Otago land and water data
CODC building consent statistics

If you can’t find what you are looking for here we welcome your queries and will do what we can to get you in information you are looking for.


demographics Who lives in Central Otago? What is the age, sex, marital status, education, ethnicity, income, occupation, technological status profile of the resident population? You can access NZ Census population statistics to help guide your business decision making. READ MORE	economy Central Otago economic performance is second to none. A 2008 BERL report ranked the region as the best performer in eight Key Performance Indicators (KPI). The combination of location, natural resources, a skilled and willing labour force plus outstanding manufacturing/building and business service sector performance gives Central Otago the economic edge. READ MORE	environment What’s the weather like? What about the land and soils? Central Otago’s physical environment is often described as extreme, and for good reason! Understanding the soils, vegetation and climatic patterns will help you decide on the ideal location or crop for a land-based enterprise. READ MORE


history The development of the Central Otago economy is a remarkable journey. From early beginnings of gold mining and farming, access to water and large scale power generation, to the growth of horticulture and viticulture; all have played a part in making Central Otago what it is today. READ MORE	business agencies There are a number of industry or sector support organisations that play a large part in building and maintaining the strength of the Central Otago economy. These organisations variously offer a range of training, advocacy or support services for Central Otago businesses. READ MORE		Regional Business Partners If your business is looking to get ahead we can help you. Whether it is subsidised business training, access to mentoring programmes or assistance to export or undertake R&D, the Regional Business Partners may be what you are looking for. READ MORE