A Wanaka woman is leading an initiative to offer Christchurch quake victims a break in the area next weekend.
Kaz von Heraud-Parker's idea of "Take a Break from the Quake" has been taken up by Lake Wanaka Tourism, the Queenstown Lakes District Council and Destination Queenstown.
Wanaka and Queenstown accommodation providers and holiday home owners wanting to help are asked to register with the tourism organisations by 1pm today.
Ms von Heraud-Parker said the Wanaka initiative would include meals.
Visitors would be met by local volunteers and houses would be tidied at the end of the visit.
She has spent the past few days rallying support from the Wanaka community and already has many volunteers willing to help.
Lake Wanaka Tourism and Destination Queenstown said some free activities would be offered, particularly for children and their families.
Offers being sought include a minimum of two nights' free accommodation, free activities and free meals, or offers to cook a meal for a family.
Destination Queenstown chief executive Tony Everitt said the Queenstown Lakes District Council would liaise with its Christchurch counterpart to distribute the offers.
Otago moteliers say families fleeing Christchurch are off-setting cancellations from the city's corporate clients.
Best Western 555 on Bayview owner/operator Richard Hanning, who is also the Otago Motel Association president, said members were reporting "short-notice" cancellations from Christchurch business clients.
However, those last-minute cancellations were offset by Christchurch families wanting to leave the city.
Yvonne Hunter, of the Central Gold Motel, in Cromwell, said the motel had taken a number of bookings from Christchurch people who were "basically after a good night's sleep".
