She said November tourist numbers were up on last year, according to hotels. "The expectation is that it's going to be another good season."
Ms Dundas said new Jetstar flights between Auckland and Napier would further add to the summer tourism scene.
Increased air capacity drove visitor numbers and she expected the new Jetstar flights would attract the same types of visitors who travelled on Air New Zealand.
The Jetstar schedule is expected to expand from three to four return services a day from February 1.
"That's an extra 100 passengers every day coming in."
Ms Dundas said January was Hawke's Bay's busiest month for visitors. Many people would also come to the region for Christmas and a number of events that took place in February.
"There's lots of reasons to come so people are booking up."
She said Hawke's Bay was already tracking ahead of last year with guest night numbers.
Statistics New Zealand figures showed the Hawke's Bay regional tourism organisation area had 361,618 guest nights last summer. That compared with 220,011 the previous spring and 284,575 that autumn.
A guest night refers to one guest spending one night in a hotel, motel, backpacker establishment or holiday park.
Tourism expenditure is also increasing in Hawke's Bay.
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment figures show an estimated $691 million was spent on tourism in Hawke's Bay in the year to March.
The spending included $83 million on food- and beverage-serving services, and $67 million on fuel and automotive products.
Tourism expenditure has been rising steadily in Hawke's Bay for the past five years.
Tourism Industry Association New Zealand chief executive Chris Roberts said this summer was set to break records for the tourism industry nationally.
"The indications are that we will see that level of growth continue or even increase through the peak visitor season, especially with all the new air services coming into New Zealand." NZME
