The Redwoods Treewalk in Rotorua is a winner for holiday activities.
Easter Weekend is traditionally one of Rotorua’s busiest times of year and hospitality businesses are hoping rising petrol prices won’t change that.
The weather will start out fine but get wetter as the weekend continues, accommodation bookings are looking strong and there is a wide range of Easter events to get people out and about.
Hospitality New Zealand Bay of Plenty branch manager and owner of Hennessy’s Irish Bar Reg Hennessy said: “Easter’s always very good for Rotorua – it’s one of the best weekends of the year for us.”
Hennessy said fuel prices could “have a bit of an impact on some people”, though it was not “too bad” for others. But he was “hopeful” rather than certain.
The usual pattern saw locals heading away, but “replaced in spades” by domestic and international visitors.
“Fingers crossed, it happens again this year,” he said.
Hospitality “needs a good Easter” before heading into winter, Hennessy said.
His bar will be open all weekend, with no public holiday surcharges.
RotoruaNZ senior communications executive Linda Macpherson said more than 80% of holiday homes were booked.
About 66% of those bookings were made more than 30 days in advance – before fuel prices increased.
Macpherson said “anecdotal evidence” suggested people were being conscious of travel and fuel costs.
“Rotorua is well-positioned as a sustainable and accessible destination.
“Located in the central North Island tourism triangle, it sits within a three-hour drive for around 50% of New Zealand’s population, making it an attractive option for a short travel destination,” Macpherson said.
Booking.com’s January and February search data for Easter revealed Rotorua in the top three most-searched domestic destinations and fourth for combined domestic and international.
Taupō also hopped up, ranking fifth in the combined destinations list.
The booking website’s 2026 travel predictions showed 34% of Kiwi travellers were booking trips to get closer to nature, while one in five were turning to quieter pursuits such as birdwatching, fishing and foraging.
Oceania regional manager Todd Lacey said the popularity of lakeside and “nature-forward” destinations such as Rotorua and Taupō this Easter signalled a “clear desire for a reset”.
MetService meteorologist John Law said Good Friday would be a “dry, fine day” with “plenty of settled weather” throughout Bay of Plenty.
Rotorua was expected to reach a high of 19C during the day, with lows of 10C and 11C at night.
“As we get through the long weekend, I think we’ll find the weather goes downhill a little bit with some wetter weather arriving at the other end.”
Saturday would be mostly dry and fine before some cloud and a possible shower on Sunday, he said.
Monday would be “cloudier and wetter, with a front running up from the south of the country”.
The Giltrap Group 2026 KartSport New Zealand National Sprint Championships is bringing about 210 competitors to the city.
KartSport New Zealand chose Rotorua to host after a competitive bid process. The club is also set to host the National Grand Prix in 2027.
KartSport Rotorua treasurer Miri Hewson said three Rotorua families were racing, and the majority of attendees were from out of town. Drivers and supporters from Australia were expected.
Hewson said the event was expected to contribute up to $800,000 to the local economy through accommodation, hospitality and tourism activities.
On Thursday, there is an official practice day and a pōwhiri at 12.30pm.
Racing gets under way on Friday with qualifying and the opening heats. There are two heats on Saturday, and the competition wraps Sunday with finals and prizegiving.
There are nine classes on the track, from 6-year-old cadets to drivers racing into their 60s.
Upgrades funded by the New Zealand Community Trust and the Rotorua Trust have added 30 new pit sites and improved the track layout.
Hewson said local businesses, including Velocity Valley, Pig and Whistle, Capers, Te Puia, Redwood Treewalk and Skyline Rotorua, had donated experiences for raffles.
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Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.