Around 28,000 fans are enjoying Sir Elton John's concert in Christchurch. Photo: Supplied / Tim Fitzgerald
The Rocket Man has blasted back to New Zealand to continue his final farewell tour, performing in Christchurch tonight for the first time in 30 years.
Fans from in and out of the city have come in droves to see Sir Elton John at his only South Island concert of the tour.
It is the first time Sir Elton has performed in Christchurch since 1990.
More than 10,000 people have travelled to Christchurch to see Sir Elton John's concert Photo: AFP
Tourism agency ChristchurchNZ said it was the biggest concert yet for the city's Orangetheory Stadium, and the biggest in the city since Phil Collins four years ago.
Head of major events Karena Finnie anticipated there would be a crowd of about 28,000 at the sold out event.
Finne said this included over 10,000 people who had travelled into the city for the show, and she expected around $4.4 million would be generated in tourism spending.
"What we believe is that the hospitality and hotel sector will have a boost of about 15 percent while Sir Elton's concert is on over the next couple of days, so that's great to have so many visitors coming into our city for the event," she said.
Addington Stadium Motel manager Judith Redfern said the facility had been booked out incredibly quickly following the concert tickets going on sale.
"Christchurch is really starting to boom tourist wise with all the events being held," she said.
The last time Sir Elton came to Aotearoa was in 2020, when he had to cancel two Auckland shows after suffering pneumonia and losing his voice.
Christchurch woman Anna Robson said she had been a fan of Sir Elton for years, and jumped at the chance to see him perform again after going to his concert in Adelaide.
Anna Robson, right, seen here at an Elton John concert in Adelaide with her sister-in-law Alyssa Giannoni in 2019, is among keen concertgoers. Photo: Supplied / Anna Robson
"Mum absolutely loves him, so I'd grown up listening to him, she'd play it when I was younger. I've seen him before a few years ago and when it came up that he was coming to Christchurch Mum and I were like - we have to go once more," she said.
To conclude his New Zealand tour, Sir Elton is performing two shows in Auckland on Friday and Saturday.
Sir Elton John performing at the Mission Estate Winery in Hawke's Bay on Waitangi Day in 2020. Photo: www.alphapix.co.nz
