The Dunedin City Council’s economic development and destination marketing agency said visitor transactions were up 7.5% in the city, while one landmark business said its numbers were up 16% on this time last year, backed by strong international numbers.
One wildlife tourism operator told the Otago Daily Times the rainy start to summer would have been problematic for her business if it was not for increased international tourists.
Otago Motel Association president Chris Roy said poor weather over the holidays affected all New Zealand markets, but last month and the start of January had remained relatively steady in Dunedin, which was not really known as a "summer holiday destination" anyway.
Dunedin’s visitor accommodation sector typically heated up next month, driven by a return of university students to the city.
But already this year association members had reported Germans, Chinese and others filling their rooms, Mr Roy, who also owns Aurora on George, in George St, said.
"All the other moteliers I have spoken to, we all feel that the international numbers are returning to pre-Covid levels.
"There are definitely more internationals around doing the loop.
"And we hold our own as that secondary market [in Dunedin].
"We’re not a Queenstown, we’re not a Central Otago, but we pump in February thanks to the good old university."
Port to Port Cruises and Wildlife Tours owner Rachel McGregor said poor weather had slowed business to a degree, but under blue skies yesterday her ferry was busy with cyclists crossing the harbour.
Cruise ships had kept the business busy over the past few seasons, but this year independent travellers were keeping her busy with last-minute bookings.
Visitors from the Netherlands, Germany and Australia were notable.
"It is very much a weather-based business, what I do — if it’s rainy, it’s quiet," Ms McGregor said.
"And then today being the first day of actual blue sky, everyone’s come out of the woodwork.
"But because of the free and independent travellers, I actually feel it’s balanced it out a little bit.
"If it were this rainy last year, I think I’d be a lot quieter."
Otago Peninsula Trust and Royal Albatross Centre ecotourism manager Hoani Langsbury said the albatross centre was up 16% on this time last year, visitor number-wise.
International visitors were most often German, followed closely by Australians and then Americans.
For the months of December, January, and February, cruise ship passengers made up about 10% of visitors, "but there’s still a lot of them that are independent travellers".
Shortly after noon yesterday, the carpark at the colony was about three-quarters full.
And most tours were filling by 1pm, Mr Langsbury said.
"There are a good number of people around, and I think they are spending a little bit more time, and they’re certainly spending a little bit more money than they used to."
Larnach Castle general manager Adrian Clifton said visitor numbers were steady and similar to last year at the castle.
As far as international visitation was concerned, Australia still dominated, Mr Clifton said.
"As you have no doubt heard before, the main challenge for Dunedin is actually spreading it [tourism] out into the shoulder periods, spreading out this demand into the shoulder periods and into the offseason, and just getting more people here right throughout the year."
Enterprise Dunedin destination manager Sian Sutton said iSite transactions from visitors were up 7.5% compared to 2023, with about $400,000 in sales for Dunedin experiences.
"We’re seeing lots of Americans and Aussies coming off cruise ships and our free independent travellers are coming predominantly from Europe.
"Observationally, we are seeing plenty of German and British travellers looking to explore our natural areas and get a chance to glimpse our rare wildlife."
Dunedin city councillor Sophie Barker, who has a background in tourism, said wet, windy weather was on brand for New Zealand’s wildlife capital — it was weather that penguins, albatrosses and other Dunedin wildlife thrived in.
"People go to Central kind of expecting wonderful weather.
"But they come to Dunedin expecting a bit of a wild time.
"We deliver it.
"I mean, in Dunedin, we appreciate the lovely days more than anyone else, don’t we?"
