Rotorua tourism buoyed by strong support over school holidays

Polynesian Spa chief executive Gert Taljaard. Photo / File

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.

"We are really hoping to see continued support from Kiwis over the summer months.

"There is so much on offer in our region and I just want to encourage New Zealanders to get out more and come visit."

Air New Zealand have also just released 140,000 $60 airfares around New Zealand for the summer period, and Polynesian Spa says this is an exciting opportunity for Kiwis to continue exploring their own backyard, given the closed borders this year.

Andrew Wilson, interim chief executive of Destination Rotorua, says it was fantastic to see so many New Zealanders taking the opportunity over the recent school holidays to return to Rotorua to experience something new.

"With so many things to do and ongoing investment in refreshing or developing new experiences, there is always something on to enjoy.

"Summer is coming, and while we are going to miss our international visitors this year, we look forward to sharing our many lakes and forests with Kiwis from around the country.

"Rotorua has long provided the ultimate playground for Kiwis to explore, enjoy and spend some downtime rejuvenating."