But over the peak Christmas-New Year period, a large number of businesses are closing their doors, missing out on holiday trade and giving tourists few reasons to stay long in the town.
Pen-y-bryn Lodge owner and Waitaki Tourism Association board member James Glucksman is initiating discussions on how Oamaru businesses can cater to tourists' needs - and dollars - by opening during the peak of the season.
Supported by the North Otago Chamber of Commerce, he said local business owners needed to consider the impact of closure on visitors and the impression it gave them of the town.
Oamaru typically had an eight-month tourist season, from October to June, he said.
''During that time, we should be open and we should promote ourselves as a town that you can visit any day during that period,'' he said.
''I do understand that there are all of these economic issues - getting staff, rates, utilities and whatnot - but I think if we're going to be a serious contender as a tourist town, we've got to make it past the stage we're at now.''
The genesis of his bid for change was his frustration from hearing comments from Pen-y-Bryn Lodge guests such as: ''Oamaru's beautiful, but it looks like a movie set because all the buildings are great, but there's nobody in them or in front of them.''
As the Farmers Market drew more people into the Victorian Precinct, more shops and restaurants had opened their doors on a Sunday and anecdotal feedback suggested more were planning to stay open during Christmas-New Year this year, he said.
''It seems to be getting better. Everybody has seen the number of visitors increase tremendously and as that happens I think more people will realise they are missing out if they're not opening.''
Mr Glucksman is suggesting a networked approach to promotion of businesses remaining open over Christmas-New Year.
The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony opens during the peak of the summer season, and manager Jason Gaskill said it had large numbers of tourists expecting places to be open.
''There are a lot of people around and they are really interested in things to do and places to go,'' he said.
As general manager for Tourism Waitaki, Mr Gaskill said he would ''wholeheartedly'' support the Waitaki Tourism Association as it addressed needs and opportunities for businesses to cater to an increasing number of visitors during the peak season.
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said it was important for Oamaru businesses to do well and some could be doing better when there was a lot of people around.
''We are selling ourselves as a tourist town, but we're not always backing that up with the service. It's not a case of all businesses having to be open ... just those who cater for tourists.''
Some businesses remained open over Christmas and New Year each year and reaped the rewards, Mr Kircher said.
''Everyone needs to have a break, but it's about doing it in a more co-ordinated way if we can,'' he said.
