While hotel bookings have been down on recent years, retail outlets have not noticed a slump and business has been up on the past two years.
Angel Divine temporary manager Megan Soper had just finished tallying Christmas sales and she said they were well up on last year.
"I'm surprised, because of the fact everyone else was having pre-Christmas sales."
She said while she had noticed more visitors to town, local customers were the ones spending money.
"Locals are the best customers. We couldn't survive without them.
"New Zealanders are the ones doing the spending, not so much foreign.""We've been very steady, even through the quiet season."
Visitors were choosing to eat out and Joes Garage Cafe had felt the influx, co-owner and manager Cara Colquhoun said.
"Compared to numbers last year, we are busier now."
Miss Colquhoun said there were several reasons, such as the good weather, some high-profile weddings and Queenstown being a general holiday destination.
"Queenstown's always a destination, regardless. If I wasn't from here, I would be visiting."
She said the typical customer this holiday season has been "mostly Kiwis, a lot of the same families from years before and travellers, as well.""We get a lot of the New Year crowd in here. Loads of young, hungover people."
The cafe had been selling a lot more cold drinks, smoothies and iced coffees than usual.
The extra visitors had been seeking refuge from the sun at the pharmacy. Sunglasses and sunscreen had been selling fast.
Unichem pharmacy owner Kim Wilkinson said the store had been busier than last year and slightly busier than the year before, "due to the weather, I think".
"It is good for our sort of business."
Mr Wilkinson said most of the visitors had come from Southland, Otago and Auckland.
Hoteliers are feeling the pinch, as many of those visiting have chosen backpackers, such as Base Packers, which had had a better shoulder season than last year, up 25%.
General manager Blair Impey said aggressive pricing strategies had helped and he was seeing repeat visitors, mainly from Southland.
"We've ramped up, especially in the last two days, the 27th and 28th."
He said said the backpackers was booked into the new year. Many visitors were checking out about January 2.
Mr Impey doubles up as Base Altitude bar general manager and said alcohol sales had been up from last year.
"However, the prices are lower, so we are taking in the same."
