The school holidays have recently wrapped up, with Rotorua's Polynesian Spa saying it had an excellent holiday period with plenty of Kiwi tourists coming through.
Gert Taljaard, chief executive of Polynesian Spa, says Kiwis have been flocking to the area's renowned spas since the 1800s, "so we are well established, but these last seven months have been among the toughest we have ever seen".
"Recently, Kiwis have shown they want to get out, travel and support their own backyard.
"We've seen positive and encouraging movement in the number of visitors over the last few weeks from a range of areas across the country.
"Before we entered the age of cheap air travel, Rotorua was a staple for families over school holidays and we've seen strong support from families visiting from Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga in particular over the holidays."
He says they have also welcomed plenty of Wellingtonians who have taken a roadie past Taupō to come for a visit.
"We are obviously missing our international friends, but it's fantastic to see Kiwis enjoying the wide range of activities that Rotorua has to offer and to see plenty of bustle around town.
