Sporting events have boosted passenger numbers at Queenstown Airport.
March figures released yesterday for the international airport show a 15.4% rise in total passengers on the year before, from 113,241 to 130,726.
More than half of that increase came from international travellers.
Airport communications manager Jen Andrews said: ''Events such as the Motatapu adventure race, New Zealand Golf Open in Queenstown and the Cricket World Cup played a key role in boosting travel.''
International passenger numbers to and from Queenstown continue to surge.
They rose 40% from the previous March to 33,019 - an increase of 9368 people.
In each of the past 12 months - except September (up 4.8%) - international passengers going through Queenstown have increased by double digits.
That means 81,530 more international passengers have flown in and out of Queenstown in the 12 months to March, for a total of 378,180.
Over the same period, domestic passenger numbers rose 5% to 987,857.
In March alone, domestic numbers to Queenstown increased by 8117 people, or 9.1%, to 97,707.
Rampant growth at the airport has given rise to growing pains.
Last year, a baggage reclaim ''pop-up'' was used to cope with the overseas influx during the busy winter season. A $12 million international terminal expansion is expected to be completed by June.
In the peak winter months, July and August, 111,750 international passengers came through Queenstown Airport last year. That compares to 100,260 internationals from December to February.
A legal stand-off over space between the airport company and developer Remarkables Park is starting to result in casualties.
The airport wants the Wakatipu Aero Club's training school to relocate to Wanaka.
The airport company has also upset travellers by scrapping its layby drop-off and pick-up parking and forcing people into its barrier-protected short-term parking zone.
