Rotorua busy and full for anniversary weekend and looking forward to another three-day break

Rotorua i-Site team leader Tysha Ranclaud (right) with visitors from Idaho, USA, Isabel (left) and Dawn Winder. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

Domestic tourists continue to flock to Rotorua with another great long weekend reported, with more to come next weekend.

Rotorua Visitor Centre and i-Site manager Graham Brownrigg said good weather, the last long weekend before the end of the school holidays and a range of events helped the economy and continued the district's great run over the past few years.

Rotorua hosted its annual A&P Show, the second annual Rotorua Summer Seafood Festival, a Swamp Thing concert at Rainbow Springs, a stockcar meeting at Paradise Valley Raceway and the NZ Maori Basketball tournament at the weekend.

"The numbers we got this weekend were on par with what was a very busy Anniversary Weekend last year.

"Our accommodation is at a premium across the board with a lot more domestic travellers around this weekend than there were over Christmas, so it looked like our domestic travellers took the opportunity to get out and about."

Mr Brownrigg said a lot of people were looking to do walks and visits to the lakes, "wanting to get out and about a bit more".

"The Redwoods were pumping...and next weekend will be another similar busy weekend, which is great to see."

"We have all the bases covered here, after a miserable December weather-wise, we are expecting another big hit next weekend."

Waitangi Weekend does not have as many events scheduled, but the Kiwanis Open Water Swim is on at Lake Rotoma and the Summer Cup MTB Series comes to the Whakarewarewa Forest.

Rotorua Top 10 Holiday Park owner Jared Adams said it was another great weekend, with a few tournaments and events on.

"We had a few basketball teams in and lots of others escaping the big city for the weekend.

"We were a bit up on last year, which was awesome, and we are well booked for Waitangi Weekend, but not quite booked out."

He said over the years he had noticed Waitangi Weekend brought in a few older travellers due to children heading back to school.

Rotorua Association of Motels chairman Mike Gallagher said feedback from his colleagues was positive.

"Both my sites have been full and I'm basically chocker throughout the week - Rotorua is doing great.

"This weekend I only have three rooms left on the Friday, but that will soon fill up and the next two weeks are already looking good.

He said he was seeing a mixture of Kiwi families and overseas tourists.

"We seem to be getting a good wave of Chinese clients and that could be tying in with their New Year festivities."

Eat Streat collective chairman Tamati Coffey said all reports from the street were that restaurants were packed and the bars humming.

"Everyone is looking forward to another sweet long weekend...the Rotorua summer lives on," he said.

The MetService long range forecast for Waitangi Weekend also looks good with fine, sunny weather forecast for all three days, temperatures between 25C and 27C and light winds.