You can almost hear city retailers singing Gaudeamus igitur ("Let us rejoice").
Four cruise ships, three graduations and a horde of Christmas shoppers have left many retailers in Dunedin "battening down the hatches" as thousands of people flood into the city.
And it is only going to get busier in the build-up to Christmas, retailers and hospitality providers say.
The city yesterday hosted the largest Otago Polytechnic graduation ceremony on record, and today University of Otago and Aoraki Polytechnic graduations will be held. And this week passengers from cruise ships Sun Princess (1950 passengers), Celebrity Century (1800), Radiance of the Seas (2500) and Volendam (1430) were in town.
Meridian manager Michael Porter said yesterday about 100,000 people had already gone through the centre this week.
"From here on in, it starts to ramp up considerably," he said.
"We're battening down the hatches."
He said the centre was attracting many more cruise-ship passengers because more information about Dunedin's retail sector had been directed at them.
Bluestone on George owner Neville Butcher said accommodation in central Dunedin was fully booked this weekend, but there were still rooms available in the suburbs.
"We're not chocker yet."
Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie said this time of year was getting busier for the retail sector.
"We wouldn't have been this busy 20 years ago. The number of graduates and cruise ships have increased considerably.
"Having the city full with parents and friends of graduates, and cruise-ship passengers, it's great for the economy."
