Covid 19 coronavirus: Returning New Zealanders keen on the south's resorts, ski fields

Queenstown and Wanaka have proved popular with Kiwis returning from Australia. Photo / Destination Queenstown

New Zealanders returning home from Australia are set to skyrocket if bookings for holiday homes are anything to go by.

Queenstown and Wanaka have proved popular and it will be good news for skifields eyeing up getting people on to the white powder for the coming season.

The Queenstown/Wanaka area is the top region in the country for winter bookings.

Latest figures from Bachcare, New Zealand's largest holiday home management firm, show the recent reopening of borders to returning New Zealanders has seen a 330 per cent increase in bookings made from Australia.

Bookings from the United Kingdom are up 42 per cent and the United States also shows a 44 per cent lift, compared with the same period last year.

Bachcare spokeswoman Zaina Razzaq said the data showed most people were looking to reconnect with friends and family and had reserved homes which could accommodate groups of five for up to five days at a time.

Read More

• Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Tourists from Australia ...
• Government poised to open door to tourists sooner than ...
• Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Tourists from Australia ...
• Destinations that will charge tourists extra to visit ...

The figures also suggested changes to the managed isolation model had come just in time for New Zealand's ski industry, she said.

The Queenstown and Wanaka area was already the most popular winter destination for New Zealanders returning from overseas.

"What we can see from the data is that forward bookings from overseas markets have increased significantly since changes were made to managed isolation requirements last month.

"The Coromandel is the most popular area during the warmer months of March and April for the influx of New Zealanders from Australia, followed by Canterbury and the Far North.

"For those returning home from the UK, the Coromandel and Wairarapa are the top two destinations, followed by Waiheke Island.

"Kiwis coming back from the US follow a similar pattern, with bookings picking up from February through to April. Coromandel again is the most popular, followed by the Far North and Abel Tasman.

"New Zealand's ski industry is also expected to receive a significant boost from overseas based Kiwis travelling here for the winter season."

The Government is set to announce changes to planned border reopenings this morning, and there is speculation they will be differ significantly from what has been proposed.

The current proposal only allows Australians in from July and visitors from other countries not until October.