Arrowtown retailers say business is booming this winter, thanks to holidaying Australian and ex-pat New Zealanders visiting the village in droves.
The Remarkable Sweet Shop was serving a Kiwi family, who had returned for a holiday from Hong Kong, when the Queenstown Times stopped by earlier this week.
Shop assistants Kisani Poole and Gaye Bartlett said the business was averaging 100 to 380 customers a day in July, about double the figure year on year.
They put the increase down to positive word of mouth, exposure on television programmes and the portability and affordability of the confections.
Miss Poole estimated 50% of all customers were Australian and 20% British.
She said she had noticed a lot of visitors were ex-pat New Zealanders escaping hot summer temperatures in regions such as the Middle East.
"It's really busy, up from last year, especially in the school holidays, and we're getting skiers in the afternoons."
Arrowtown Bakery co-owner Stephanie Denton was serving Australian tourist Darren Haines, of Gympie, when the Queenstown Times visited.
Miss Denton said the bakery was welcoming dozens of customers a day and about 60% were tourists.
"The level of business is quite good for this time of year. It might be down to a good ski season.
"There's a lot of Australians, probably quite a few English. They're always after pies or asking directions."
Ray White Arrowtown sold five properties in July, two more than in the corresponding month in 2008.
Principal Richard Newman said the market was definitely busier, with more buyers than last year.
However, there were not as many houses for sale, especially in the $400,000 to $500,000 bracket.
"Buyers have been sitting on the fence for a while and have decided to do something, and mortgage rates are pretty good."
Mr Newman said young professional Kiwi couples were making the most inquiries about houses in Arrowtown.
They were attracted by its community atmosphere and quality of its pre-school and school.
Interest from investors and holiday-home seekers had dropped away, compared with last year.
Lakes District Museum director and Arrowtown Promotion Board committee member David Clarke said Arrowtown businesses always did well in the winter.
The town was a good wet weather destination for tour groups if the Milford Rd was closed and it was a good option for individual tourists to travel to on the bus from Queenstown, particularly if skifields were closed.
"Our museum numbers were up 5% to 10% year on year in July, with about 100 a day, compared to about 400 per day in the summer," he said.
"There was a noticeable increase in Australian families, who say they're loving it and getting great deals to come to New Zealand."
Mr Clarke believed the increase in Australian visitors was a result of Destination Queenstown and Tourism New Zealand marketing campaigns.
He thought Australians had not been hit as hard by the recession as Britons or Americans.
"Also, the eastern seaboard people have said it's expensive to ski in Australia and the conditions have been fantastic here this winter. Good skiing and good deals: the timing's been good in a recession year."
