Shoppers flocked to central Dunedin and its malls yesterday afternoon, with an influx of cruise ship tourists and holidaymakers from Christchurch and other out-of-town domestic visitors also adding to demand.
Staff at several central Dunedin coffee outlets said they had been busier on Monday than yesterday, but most retailers interviewed emphasised overall trading had been much stronger yesterday.
Monday trading was described as "dead" by one central city shop owner waiting for cruise ship visitors who did not arrive that day.
Several Dunedin outlets said trading yesterday was also well ahead of the comparable day last year.
Delays caused by poor weather had meant the cruise ship Sun Princess, with 1950 passengers and 900 crew aboard, did not arrive until shortly before 4pm on Monday, about eight hours after its scheduled arrival time.
Melissa Hyslop, a staff member at Rings and Things, in George St, said the store had been "definitely busier" yesterday, with New Zealand jade and basalt items continuing to sell well to cruise ship visitors and others.
Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie said many factors, including a significant overall rise in cruise ship visits and increased domestic tourism activity, had combined in a recent boost for retailers and the Dunedin business community.
"It's definitely good for Dunedin."
Instead of some Dunedin people heading elsewhere, including to Christchurch, there had actually been a "backflow" to the South, with more Dunedin people deciding to holiday at home, and more Canterbury people opting to spend some time in Dunedin and do more shopping in the South.
"Great weather" in Dunedin and Otago, a more cautious attitude by some Dunedin people to travelling further afield, and a rise in consumer confidence had generated a more positive outlook for city business.
He would be "staggered" if retail figures, when they became available, did not show a significant increase on last year.
Five retailers spoken to yesterday, including two hospitality outlets in Port Chalmers, said they had noticed more people from Christchurch and Canterbury recently holidaying in Dunedin or at Port Chalmers, after a series of major earlier quakes, and, after a break of about six months, two big quakes , shortly before Christmas.
Nicole Hart, store manager at Supre, a womenswear shop in the Meridian Mall in Dunedin, said retail turnover was at least 20% higher than it had been on Monday, and was also well ahead of the previous year.
She noted cruise ship visitors but said there had also been noticeably more people from Christchurch shopping in the store.
Sharon Tisdall, owner of the Port Royale Cafe, in George St, Port Chalmers, said she had initially intended to remain closed on Monday for cleaning, but had opened from 6pm to 8pm to cater for the delayed cruise ship passengers.
Yesterday had also been busy, and adding to recent demand had been "quite a big group of people from Canterbury" who had been staying in the area, some of them owners of nearby holiday homes.
A staff member at Careys Bay Hotel said the past two days had been extremely busy, and visiting families from Canterbury had been dining at the hotel this week.
