The unexpected long weekend proved a busy one for many in Rotorua with accommodation bookings peaking at 80 per cent occupancy rates on Saturday night.
Business owners say international tourists are returning to the city in numbers that promise a great summer ahead.
Three tourists from Sydney, Australia were among the crowds flocking to a busy Rotorua Lakefront on Sunday morning.
Jane Woodhead said the Redwood forest was her favourite place to visit.
"It's so mystical, eerie."
Woodhead said she had learnt more about Māori culture simply by reading the signs at Lake Tikitapu, Blue Lake lookout.
"The history of the lakes was a thing that struck me and how there is a lot of care for the sacredness of the Green Lake.
"For a foreigner to read about that, taught me an element of respect too."
Woodhead said she thought Rotorua was the perfect tourist destination.
Woodhead's friend Dianne Moral said she had never seen trees as tall as the Redwood pines. Moral had also enjoyed a visit to Tearriffic.
"I had bubble tea by the [Rotorua] lakefront. It was really good."
Suzanne Riley, a chef and hospitality worker from Australia, said she was in Rotorua for the day on Sunday.
"We had lunch by the lakefront and went for a walk."
Riley said this was her third time visiting New Zealand but there were still many places she had not seen before.
"I was determined to go out and see things," Riley told the Rotorua Daily Post.
"The highlight's been just to see the beauty. To compare it to what I know of Australia, the natural beauty and the greenness is much more rugged, more wild."
Riley said what was special about Rotorua was the culture but if she had any complaints to make about New Zealand they were mainly about driving.
"I do find New Zealanders are very aggressive drivers and another thing is that the signage is pathetic."
Tearriffic owner Chris Senerpida said his bubble tea truck had been open on the lakefront on Saturday and Sunday.
"It was really busy, lots of people at the lakefront, lots of families out and the Gypsy Fair was there too."
Senerpida said there were "definitely" more people from out of town and more tourists at the lakefront over the long weekend.
"Slowly the tourists are coming in. I can tell by their accents. Somehow it's getting back to normal."
Rotorua Central Backpackers owner Ramona Wu said they had been "very, very busy".
"Mostly staying with us are youth from Europe, America and not many Kiwis."
Wu said many of her guests were on working holiday visas and stopped in Rotorua for a holiday on the way to their jobs in the South Island.
Rotorua Accommodation Network chair and Aura Accommodation owner Nick Fitzgerald said more international visitors had been making their way to Rotorua since September.
"At Aura, we're [seeing] unusually high numbers of international visitors for the season.
Fitzgerald said there was "pent-up demand" for travel overseas.
"We've seen that firsthand through winter. I'm very optimistic about summer."
"In the accommodation sector, we're in the best position to say what summer will look like because we have forward bookings.
"At the moment we're tracking well ahead of any previous year."
Rotorua NZ chief executive Andrew Wilson said on Friday that accommodation bookings in Rotorua were "looking great" with occupancy rates peaking at 80 per cent on Saturday.
"All of the indications for summer are looking extremely positive and we are expecting we'll be very busy given the full events calendar for Rotorua between now and March next year, along with international visitors set to return in significant numbers."
Rākai Jade owner and carver Lewis Tamihana Gardiner said there was more foot traffic in town on Saturday.
"It seemed like there were more people around. We had plenty of inquiries and browsers on Saturday but not sales."
Gardiner said Rākai Jade was already "way too busy" working on completing commissioned work and staff shortages had prevented the store from opening regularly on Saturdays.
Te Puia chief executive Tim Cossar said staff were optimistic about the summer ahead.
"We have enjoyed a steady increase in manuhiri since international borders reopened and our team is looking forward to the summer season with excitement and a renewed sense of confidence.
"After two difficult years for the tourism industry, we're all hoping for a warm, restriction-free, busy summer."
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Rotorua Business Chamber chief executive Bryce Heard said it was great to see the Rotorua tourism industry going "full-steam" ahead.
"There are also several reports of internationally facing tourism businesses restarting after lengthy and crippling closures.
"Overall, the outlook for summer is looking strong, especially when compared to the past two summers.
"Bring it on. Rotorua has the best and most diverse offering of any tourist town in New Zealand."
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