The 2011 Rugby World Cup is giving national tourism operators a boost of confidence, research by the Ministry of Economic Development says.
The Tourism Industry Monitor showed that almost half of all respondents to the survey of businesses expected demand to improve in the next three months, compared with the same period last year.
The tourism business confidence index was at 131, the highest since it began in June 2009.
The business confidence index is based on firm operators' expectations of profitability.
The ministry's tourism research and evaluation manager, Peter Ellis, said in a statement this week the upcoming rugby event was seen as the biggest positive influence on demand in the next three months.
"Hopefully, the World Cup will be a shot in the arm for the industry, which has faced such a tough time this year," Mr Ellis said.
"Many tourism operators also appear less concerned about the negative impacts of events like the Christchurch earthquake than was the case a few months ago," Mr Ellis said.
Concerns about the impact of the Christchurch earthquake, international incidents such as the Japan tsunami and downturns in international markets all dropped since the last monitor, released in May.
Research indicated the expected increase in demand was positive in the North Island, but negative in the South Island, where the Christchurch earthquake impacted on tourism and led to the withdrawal of several major cup games.
There were 473 respondents to the latest quarterly monitor online.
