Some Rotorua businesses have done twice as much business as usual during a busy school holiday period that saw thousands of visitors flock to the city.
Heritage Farm operations manager Robyn van den Hurk said the school holidays had been "manic" with domestic tourists from Invercargill to Northland "and everywhere in between".
Van den Hurk said Heritage Farms, which has farm tours, a 3D trick art gallery and a cafe, was seeing record numbers.
"It's been really fantastic.
"We're so appreciative of all New Zealanders visiting."
She said the school holidays were important because weekdays could be quieter. Last Saturday when the weather was bad, they were inundated.
Tristen Williams, manager of Sport of Kings and Kings on Peace, said business had been "crazy" with the motel's 23 rooms fully booked every night of the school holidays.
Williams said it wasn't just the school holidays that had been busy. The colder months from April through now had also been busy with visitors from as far as the South Island and as close as Hamilton and Tauranga.
"It's been our busiest year ever for winter.
"Business is up about 40 to 45 per cent over the whole period."
She said the motels had never had so many forward bookings as people locked in accommodation early because they knew the demand was high. They were already getting bookings for the summer holidays.
"People are happy to get out and about. Rotorua has got so much to offer people keep coming back.
"Long may it continue and it looks like it's going to."
Rotorua Moteliers Association chairman and Owner of Arista Rotorua motel Mike Gallagher said he had been out of town for the school holidays but had still been fielding accommodation inquiries despite the weather "which is a great sign".
Redwoods Treewalk owner Bruce Thomasen said business had almost doubled for the school holidays despite the weather.
"Kiwis are out there doing it and it'll be at least double the amount [of business] we'd normally do on a standard fortnight."
Thomasen said about 45 per cent of visitors were from Auckland, 15 per cent from Waikato and others from Tauranga and Taupō.
The limited tours on Redwoods Treewalk's adventure offering Altitude were also booked out and the business planned to hire more staff for the summer.
"Outside the school holidays Rotorua has been seeing good business, good corporate volumes and good senior citizen, gold cardholder volumes on weekdays. Then on the weekend the domestic market is coming out and doing things."
Reg Hennessy, president of the Bay of Plenty branch of the Hospitality Association, said the school holidays had been good for the hospitality sector.
He estimated business at Hennessy's Irish Bar was up 50 per cent on a normal week with visitors from Auckland, Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Waikato and other parts of the Bay of Plenty.
He said rain had played in the hospitality sector's favour by pushing people indoors.
Holidays were incredibly important for the sector especially as the next public and school holidays were in October.
Graham Brownrigg, head of visitor experience and services at iSite, said the holidays had been "extremely busy" for local tourism providers, even more so than July last year.
Auckland families made up about 40 per cent of visitors with those from Christchurch and Wellington making up for a combined 30 per cent, he said.
"Australians have also come to visit and have accounted for approximately 10 per cent of our visitors here. "
Rotorua Lakes Council's sports and events manager Steve Watene said the holidays had been particularly busy due to an increase in events and activities including sporting events and tournaments.
It included the Magic vs Tactix game which attracted 1800 people, a water polo tournament drawing 2000 people and the NZ Netball U18 Champs.
"Rotorua is a popular location for these types of events and activities ... It's not surprising that our city has been so busy throughout the school holidays."
Rotorua Aquatic Centre facility manager Leah Burgess said the centre had felt a flow-on effect with national rugby league teams heading down for a swim and a hot soak after the NZ Māori League Teina Tournament last weekend.
The centre was hosting a water polo tournament and Swimming NZ held training sessions as part of its tri-series tour.
Waimangu Volcanic Valley general manager David Blackmore said the school holidays provided a "welcome boost".
"The weather hasn't really been playing ball so have our fingers crossed for the rest of the holidays. The cafe is proving popular - whatever the weather, people enjoy quality fresh food and great coffee."
Te Puia's sales and marketing general manager, Sean Marsh, said the holidays had been "fantastic".
"The support from New Zealanders, and even some of our Aussie neighbours has been beyond expectations."
Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Bryce Heard said everyone he had spoken to was supporting a "solid lift". And that was across the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors.
Air New Zealand figures showed flights in and out of Rotorua during the July school holidays would total 240, up 35 per cent on previous year.
It equates to around 14,000 seats – up 41 per cent on the 2020 school holidays which were the first post-Covid-19 lockdown.
A police spokeswoman said there had not been a "noticeable increase in crime on account of the school holidays".
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