Queenstown hotel bookings for Rugby World Cup 2011 were going well so far, New Zealand Hotel Council Queenstown chairman John McIlwain said.
Mr McIlwain, general manager of Rydges Lakeland Resort Queenstown, said the Rydges group had decided not to enter the Rugby World Cup 2011 official accommodation bank (OAB).
"Forward bookings are good. We have pre- and post-Rugby World Cup tours already booked," he said.
Rugby World Cup Ltd chief executive Martin Snedden said 230 hotels across New Zealand had received confirmed bookings for the tournament dates valued at $55 million.
"This is a great start and underscores the tremendous economic benefits the tournament is bringing to New Zealand," he said.
The OAB was created two years ago to meet the tournament accommodation needs for the teams, officials, and sponsors and to provide assistance to the official travel and official hospitality agencies bringing customers to New Zealand.
More than 300 hotels nationwide had joined the OAB.
New Zealand Hotel Council chairwoman Jennie Langley said more accommodation options were likely to become available in September-October this year.
"Rooms in many hotels are still being held in the RWC official accommodation bank, to ensure that all players, officials and guests travelling with the tournament's official travel agencies have rooms.
"But as it becomes clear where there is excess capacity, rooms are being released from the official accommodation bank, which means they will be available to the general public," she said.
