Russell McKinnon travels the world 100 days of the year reporting on various sporting events, and could not have been happier to spend the past five weeks in Dunedin.
The Rugby News Service supervisor was initially meant to run a media team in Christchurch, but said the upshot of being moved to Dunedin was that "there is so much to do".
Penguin hunting on the Otago Peninsula, visiting Larnach Castle, going on walking tours, watching nude rugby, and the city's heritage were all highlights of his "fascinating" time here.
However, it was the people who stood out the most.
"It's always the people who do it. Everyone is so friendly and so accommodating, it's just over the top.
"This has been by far one of the top one or two destinations I've been to, for being able to live and enjoy it. It's going to be hard to leave," Mr McKinnon said.
Tourism Dunedin chief executive officer Hamish Saxton said Mr McKinnon's experience was not unique.
Media hosting had been "incredibly successful", with the "vast majority" of feedback and subsequent coverage being "highly enthusiastic and complimentary", he said.
It was the type of publicity "you just can't buy".
Previously, journalists had only visited Dunedin to cover rugby in winter, had to "endure the facilities of Carisbrook" and did not experience all the city had to offer. But with "spectacular weather", "international facilities" and the hospitality of locals, many journalists had "really made their home here", Mr Saxton said.
"We've had diehard rugby journalists turn into travel writers."
While it was hard to measure the impact these positive experiences, and the number of people who read about them, would have on Dunedin, the most enduring factor would be on the city's reputation.
"Dunedin will be highly regarded," he said.
People will say "we must go to Dunedin, it's such an amazing place", and "that's really big".
In terms of the impact on businesses in the city, a small Tourism Dunedin survey of tourism operators showed only 8% had experienced no impact on takings.
One operator said business had increased 30% compared with last year. Another had noticed fluctuations, particularly from the weekend to during the week, and one said the tournament had been "devastating" for trade.
"Some businesses did do well out of it," Mr Saxton said.
