Where people stayed was dependent on where holidaymakers wanted to be for the weekend, Bullot said.
"There is a lot of different reasons why people come to Tauranga and people will choose the place to stay based on that," he said.
"It also depends on price, by the beachside is probably more expensive."
Hospitality New Zealand regional manager for Bay of Plenty and Waikato Alan Sciascia said restaurants were traditionally busy as holiday-makers arrived to be treated to the "whole experience" the Bay offered.
"It is not just that our providers provide a good experience, it is the environment, the beach and activities they can do here and everything that goes with that," Sciascia said.
"The operators on The Strand do a wonderful job and the society the [Tauranga City] council has created with the tidal steps and the park on the waterfront adds to the atmosphere."
The Phoenix restaurant manager, Greer Martin, said the restaurant would be opening early for brunch this weekend, including Monday and Tuesday, to accommodate demand.
"We are definitely expecting to he busy," Martin said.
The restaurant on The Strand had also chosen not to include a surcharge on Waitangi Day.
Brooklyn Patio and Eatery co-manager Laurent de Bourgues had his fingers crossed for a busy weekend.
"Hopefully, there would be above average with lots of people taking the Monday off as well, but it is hard to guess, you never know."
De Bourgues said the eatery on The Strand would be closed on Monday and open normal hours on Waitangi Day and there would be no surcharge.
Kath Low, of Tourism Bay of Plenty, said Waitangi Day was seen as an extension of the summer holidays and was always a particularly busy weekend.
Low said visitors were attracted to the diversity of the region's natural attractions, beaches, walking tracks, fishing spots, dining options and "that fantastic feeling you get when you arrive here that you are really on holiday".
The weather forecast for the weekend was for fine spells, with a chance of evening showers and southeasterlies developing in the afternoon on Saturday and mainly fine with light winds on Sunday.
Cloudy periods with a chance of showers and developing westerlies were forecast for Monday. Waitangi Day's weather was becoming fine with westerlies dying out and a high of 25C.
What's on this weekend?
Residents and holidaymakers can commemorate Waitangi Day a little earlier this year with a free family event planned at Greerton Village School on February 3.
The Journey Restorative Trust's Greerton Family Festival on Saturday will commemorate Waitangi Day with a fun, free, family day out from 10am-1.30pm.
Journey Restorative Trust manager Tina Salisbury said this year was the fourth year of the event, with last year's festival attracting about 2000 people.
"We just do it to connect the community on Waitangi as a fun, free, family day out," Salisbury said.
The festival will include food vendors, a free sausage sizzle, a trampoline, pony rides, a petting zoo, family friendly games, a scavenger hunt and a lolly scramble.
Salisbury said new to this year's festival was an adult kapa haka performance and the Urban Dance group providing entertainment.
"We also have a new water game this year, the slip-and-slide which is like a water relay. Hopefully, the weather won't make us wet but that you might get a little bit wet with this game," she joked.
To commemorate the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, a dawn service will be held at Hopukiore [Mount Drury] on February 6.
The dawn service will start at 6.30am with a karakia [prayer] by tangata whenua, followed by a community service, speeches and hymns from local kaumatua [elders], clergy from community church groups, civic leaders and rangatahi [youth] speakers.
Road closures will be in place on February 6 from 5am-10am on Marine Parade from Grace Ave to Pacific Ave.
Access to the area will via Pacific Ave before 6.30am and locked from 6.30am until the end of the service at 8.30am.
There will be accessible parking for mobility card holders, kaumatua and kuia and other dignitaries on Marine Parade.
Ten things to do from February 3-5
1.
What: Greerton Family Festival
When: Saturday, February 3, from 10am-1.30pm
Where: Greerton Village School
Cost: Free
2.
What: Night Owl Cinema presents The Lego Ninjago movie
When: Saturday, February 3, from 6.30pm-10.30pm
Where: The Strand, Tauranga
Cost: Free
3.
What: ICC Under19 Cricket World Cup 2018 final
When: Saturday, February 3, from 2pm
Where: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Cost: Free
4.
What: The Little Big Markets
When: Saturday, February 3, from 9am-2pm
Where: Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui
Cost: Free
5.
What: Three-piece indie-folk/gypsy act: Cricket Farm at the Incubator with Regan Perry
When: Saturday, February 3, from 6.30pm
Where: The Incubator, 17th Ave West.
Cost: General admission: $15
6.
What: Tauranga Farmers Market
When: Saturday, February 3, from 7.45am-midday
Where: Tauranga Primary School
Cost: Free
7.
What: Waitangi Day dawn service
When: Tuesday, February 6, from 6.30am
Where: Hopukiore (Mount Drury)
Cost: Free
8.
What: Katikati A&P Show
When: Sunday, February 4
Where: Katikati A&P Showgrounds
9.
What: Basic Off-Road Bike Skills Session
When: Sunday, February 4, from 1pm and 2.30pm
Where: Mount Drury Reserve
Cost: Free
10.
What: Be Cycle Savvy - Cycle Skills Course
When: Monday, February 5, from 9am-midday
Where: Maude Carpark, 1 Caslani Lane, Tauranga
Cost: Free
