NZ’s ski capital is fast becoming a summer destination
Australians love to chase the sun on holiday. But as temperatures rise and summer heat makes some traditionally popular destinations less appealing, could the lure of cooler climes start heating up?
Certainly, New Zealand’s Queenstown would love that. Australians have long flocked to Queenstown for the ski season, but increasingly the destination is courting them year-round. And there are signs the strategy is working: international traffic through Queenstown Airport is at record levels, while trans-Tasman travel connecting Queenstown with Australia’s eastern seaboard has reached 145 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
Tourism New Zealand research also suggests Australians are open to travelling outside the traditional peak: 67 per cent of Australians actively considering a New Zealand holiday say they would consider an off-peak visit. Asked which seasons they would consider, spring came out on top at 42 per cent, followed by summer at 35 per cent, autumn at 29 per cent and winter at 24 per cent.
Queenstown is, of course, synonymous with skiing for many Australians, but there’s an ever-growing list of reasons to visit without skis.
Cycling is getting bigger, with the new Kawarau Gorge Trail expected to open this month, adding another reason to visit in the warmer seasons.
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Skyline Queenstown is also undergoing a substantial redevelopment, with year-round attractions including the new Stratosfare restaurant and viewing platform and a new 48-metre Vortex slide, while the wider transformation continues towards completion in early 2029.
Wellness, food and wine are increasingly part of the proposition, alongside golf, hiking and the adventure activities for which Queenstown has long been famous.
Getting there is becoming easier, too. In June, Air New Zealand and Jetstar added seasonal direct Brisbane services, joining an extensive trans-Tasman network. Qantas and Virgin Australia also fly Brisbane-Queenstown year-round.
A new hotel on the Queenstown scene is hoping to do its bit to foster year-round travel. Avani Queenstown, opening this month on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, was formerly Oaks Shores Resort. The Frankton Road property has undergone a substantial transformation from serviced-apartment accommodation into a full-service hotel and becomes Avani’s New Zealand flagship.
The revamped accommodation includes hotel rooms alongside one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, many with lake and mountain views. New facilities include an AvaniSpa and an AvaniFit gym, while new restaurant and bar Six to Midnight moves from breakfast and lunch through to high tea, apres-ski and dinner. New social, private dining and event spaces have also been added.
The timing is apt. Rather than launching at the beginning of the winter ski rush, Avani Queenstown arrives in September as the destination heads into spring and begins swapping snow sports for hiking, cycling, golf and other warm-season pursuits. There are walking trails nearby and Central Otago’s wineries are within easy reach.
Minor Hotels New Zealand area general manager James Billing says Queenstown’s changing appeal was part of the thinking behind the investment.
“Queenstown has evolved into a destination that offers much more than seasonal travel,” he says. In other words, there are growing reasons to head to the mountains even when you have no intention of hurtling down them.
See queenstownnz.co.nz; avanihotels.com
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