Holidaymakers with tents may still find space in Otago camping grounds, but most caravan sites and cabins are booked out for Christmas and the new year around the region, especially in the popular holiday spots in Central Otago and the Waitaki Lakes area.
A growing trend was for people to go on holiday earlier, Tracy de Woeps, co-owner of Larchview Holiday Park, in Naseby, said.
"There's been a wave of pre-Christmas arrivals, which we noticed last year too, but to a greater degree this year."
Omakau Domain Camping Ground caretaker Alan Harris expected numbers this holiday to make the "best year ever".
About 100 members of the Canterbury Land Rovers Club were booked in, in addition to regular campers. Mr Harris believed the Otago Central Rail Trail was responsible for the boost in the numbers staying this year.
Boxing Day was the biggest day for bookings at the Alexandra Holiday Park, which could accommodate 2500 campers, mostly family groups.
Cromwell Top 10 Holiday Park could hold about 2000 people, and co-owner John Searle said he was always reluctant to put out the "camp full"sign.
"We've always got a few tent sites available."
Upper Clutha camping grounds were filling up this week, the operators reporting strong bookings for the holiday period.
However, in Queenstown, the Pike River mine disaster, the Canterbury earthquake, Europe's big freeze and the ongoing global recession had dented Christmas bookings at Queenstown Lakes District Council camping grounds, council holiday parks manager Greg Hartshorne said.
"I don't know that a lot of people have much money.
"A lot of people have made the decision to spend this year at home," Mr Hartshorne said.
Glendhu Bay camping ground, which had a waiting list, was the exception: "It's very much a New Zealand families destination that seems to have quite a following."
The council's other camping grounds - Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park, Arrowtown Bowl of Gold Holiday Park, and Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park - were not showing growth, although the situation was not "disastrous", he said.
Creeksyde Holiday Park owner Anna Spijkerbosch said bookings were on a par with last year and the Queenstown park was booked out for New Year's Eve.
Lake Hawea Holiday Park manager Mike King said the "crew" coming for the three Lake Hawea Summer Sessions concerts on December 30-31 and January 2 was good. "From my point of view, it looks very, very busy," Mr King said.
Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park manager Kelly Campbell said about 95% of the Wanaka campsites were booked, many by regular holidaymakers.
Only tent sites remained available.
About 900 to 1000 visitors were expected between Christmas and New Year, she said.
"Certainly, things are looking very healthy."
Glenn Tatersall, who manages the privately owned Outlet Camping Ground beside the Clutha River outlet, said the trend was for Christchurch people "looking for a break from what's been a miserable year for them ...
We have very strong bookings with people booking up to the last two weeks in January".
Owners and managers of camping grounds around Dunedin and South Otago said bookings were similar to other years, although they were slow coming in the Catlins.
"If it wasn't for a walking group, after Christmas-Boxing Day, I'd be deadly quiet," YHA Catlins Lodge owner Craig Perry said.
Dunedin Holiday Park owner Rex Moss said bookings were "pretty good" and international tourist numbers, especially Australians, were also increasing after the economic downturn.
Other Dunedin camping grounds also reported the usual bookings for the holiday and an even busier January because of the Colgate Games.
Balclutha Camping Ground owner Leeann Scott said he had noticed an increase in cyclists booking, as well as more Europeans, mostly due to the Southern Scenic Route.
Popular beach and lakes camping grounds in North Otago, such as Twizel's Lake Ruataniwha Holiday Park and Otematata and Omarama holiday parks, were almost fully booked, with similar numbers to previous years.
However, some campers had left it later to reserve their favourite spots at grounds such as the Kurow Holiday Park.
Moeraki Village Holiday Park had a few powered and tents sites left for some "spur of the moment" arrivals, while the Hampden Beach Camping Ground still had powered and unpowered sites available.
The Oamaru Top 10 Holiday Park had vacancies in units and on powered sites.
