This follows more than 25,000 people who watched the Football Ferns play Switzerland last weekend during the Fifa Women’s World Cup.
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said the two back-to-back surges of visitors in the city were not only important to the economy, but to the state of vibrancy in the city.
"We always need a bit of excitement to get us through the winter.
"We have had quite a quiet time during Covid, so it is good to feel the activity in the city and feel like it’s party time again."
The Craic co-owner Claire Grenfell likened the busyness to Ed Sheeran’s 2018 concerts and the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
"The phone has not stopped ringing for people trying to make bookings."
Hospitality Association branch president Mark Scully said the rare 2.30pm start time for the test was especially good.
He hoped Dunedin would have a solid Friday night if people arrived in the city early.
"The football World Cup coming in July and the test in August, it couldn’t have been better timing for Dunedin.
"These two events have come in what is traditionally our toughest two months."
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said
police would be visiting bars around the city
and setting up driver checkpoints.
The All Blacks arrive in Dunedin this morning and will have some players at the presentation of a special macrocarpa bench in the Octagon at lunchtime.
Several Wallabies enjoyed a day off training to play golf at the St Clair club yesterday after coach Eddie Jones led a typically entertaining press conference.
Jones briefly touched on his sound-bite from last week about an All Blacks loss affecting the New Zealand economy when he was asked what a shock Wallabies win tomorrow would mean."It’s bloody expensive here, isn’t it?
"I think you’ve got to do something about the cost of living here.
"Who’s the prime minister now? I’ll have a word with him."
The Wallabies, heavy underdogs after being thumped in Melbourne last Saturday, have been in Dunedin all week and might hope to get some extra support from the community as they chase an unlikely result at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
"There have been plenty of people coming up and saying ‘we wish you the best of luck’ but not too much, so I’m sure we’re going to get a little bit," Jones said. — Additional reporting Hayden Meikle
