Travel agents yesterday said many people were looking to reunite with families overseas, but others wanted to break their cabin fever with long, lavish holidays.
House of Travel Dunedin retail manager Tony Boomer said his agency had had as much business in March this year as it did in March 2019.
The main source of renewed business had been people wanting to reconnect with family after the border reopened.
People had been booking flights all over the world, but locations such as the United Kingdom and Europe were particularly popular.
Many were also looking ahead for a holiday, and Fiji and Rarotonga were proving "exceedingly popular" for the coming winter months.
A lot of clients were opting for a long excursion not a short break.
Despite the high demand, the business was operating with just a quarter of the staff it once had.
"We’re working really long hours."
Airlines were in a similar situation, as there were not enough flights to meet the demand, Mr Boomer said.
They might have enough planes to increase capacity, but crews, pilots and airport staff were all needed as well.
Although the industry was recovering, it would take a long time before it was back up to pre-pandemic levels.
Another issue was increased fuel prices pushing up ticket costs, but there were still options available for those with patience and flexibility.
"If you book early enough you’re still going to get a decent deal."
Planet Earth Travel Southland and Otago travel broker Khristine Mananes said her phone was ringing almost "24/7".
There was about four times as much demand as at the start of the year.
Pandemic restrictions meant it took a lot more work to organise each customer’s trip.
Each airline, and each country, had different regulations for dealing with Covid-19, such as what constituted a valid negative test.
"We have to be very diligent and careful," she said.
Vincent George Travel agent Rosann Connolly-George said business had been "off the hook".
There had been a "huge influx" in the past two weeks of people booking two- to three-month holidays for later in the year.
Many people were opting for nicer hotels or adding extras to make the most of their trip.
Holidays in the UK, North America and the southern regions of Europe were all very popular, she said.
Helloworld Travel Dunedin managing director Andrew Carmody said the agency was "slammed" with business.
He was able to get people on flights, but they had to have a realistic budget and be flexible, he said.
An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said there was still a lot of uncertainty but the airline had worked hard in the past few months to prepare for the return of international travel.
The airline expected demand to be back to 90% of pre-Covid-19 levels by 2025, she said.
