Stewart Island has busy summer

Stewart Island tourism operators have enjoyed a busier than usual summer season, despite rough weather during the holiday period.

Stewart Island Promotion Association promotions officer Jo Learmonth said the summer season had a mixed start with unseasonable weather in December and January.

However, the following months had picked up and she believed the numbers would be up at the end of the season, she said.

It also appeared there had been in increase in the cultural diversity of visitors to the island.

Easter weekend was expected to be especially busy for the island with extra ferry crossings put on for the weekend that were now full to capacity, Learmonth said.

There was typically an influx of visitors when oyster season and the roar came around, Learmonth said.

‘‘It’s definitely proved to be a good season.’’

Rakiura Jade owner Dave Goodin said the number of people coming into his carving studio was on par with last season.

Goodin was in his second season on the island where he ran full-day carving workshops.

Goodin thought more advertising could have brought tourists through his workshop, he said.

Of those who did pass through his workshop, most European, Goodin said.

He had also met many New Zealanders who were coming to the island for the first time, he said.

Stewart Island Electric Bike owner Peter Bayne opened his electric bike business after Christmas and already his bikes had racked up thousands of kilometres on the 30km road network.

Bayne, who has been on the island for 20 years, said the terrain lent itself to electric bikes.

While he had nothing to benchmark against, this being his first season, Bayne said he would look to expand the business for next season.

Despite the inclement weather in January many people still went for a ride, he said.

‘‘The demand has been really positive and the support really good.’’

There were opportunities for operators to provide activities for tourists on the island, Bayne said.

Bayne believed operators were under selling what was on offer on the island and that many tourists were looking for activities to do, he said. were