Visitor numbers to Rakiura/Stewart Island have increased this winter compared to the same time last year, with an estimated 1600-1700 more people visiting New Zealand's southern-most island in June and July. 

As a result of the national lockdown, visitor numbers expectedly dropped off in April and May decreasing by 9053 (compared to the same time last year) resulting in a $45,000 loss of revenue to the Stewart Island Visitor Levey fund. 

Winter is usually quieter period for Stewart Island, however, with the nation's borders closed, Kiwis have since jumped at the chance to travel domestically and it's been proving very beneficial for our domestic tourism industry in Southland. 

The update on Stewart Island visitor numbers was delivered as part of a Management Report, read out at a Southland District Council full council meeting yesterday morning. 

The report read that the Department of Conservation noted that bookings for the Rakiura track this season are 65% higher than for the same time last year, with 90% of the bookings coming from Kiwis. 

Southland District Council community and futures group manager Rex Capil said the boost in domestic tourism was also a result of the strong campaigning done by Great South and Tourism New Zealand post lockdown. 

He added that Great South did some "great work" with Air New Zealand which managed the direct flights from Auckland to Invercargill to line up with departing flights from Invercargill to Stewart Island.

Cr Bruce Ford said the change in flight schedule meant that Auckland visitors could reach Rakiura in three-and-a-half hours, making the trip much more convenient. 

However, Mr Capill said the changing alert levels in Southland and Auckland meant the local tourism industry would need to remain vigilant if it was to keep domestic travel numbers up.

"Obviously, we have to appreciate that the last couple of weeks, those flights [from Auckland] won't be coming in and we'll have to start to rebuild again as the lockdown levels change,” he said.