Interest in holidays around New Zealand has surged since the country moved into COVID-19 alert level 2, according to an accommodation reservation website.
Taupo, Queenstown and Rotorua are said to be the destinations with the biggest jumps in inquires, each marking an increase of 250 percent or more this week.
The spike has been reported by Wotif.co.nz, which measured accommodation interest in destinations around Aotearoa on May 11 - 14 and compared it to May 4 - 6.
However the website couldn't say how much actual bookings had increased in the same period.
"Business travel has been the quickest to return on Wotif.co.nz, however in the last week we've seen a significant increase in the number of family travellers looking to getaway," says the website's managing director Daniel Finch.
"While cities remain most popular, as we'd typically expect, leisure destinations are certainly gaining traction.
"No doubt many are looking for a quick break and some relaxation away from home after being in lockdown."
Top 10 NZ destinations with biggest week-on-week Wotif.co.nz interest jumps:
- Taupo - accommodation interest up over 325 percent
- Queenstown - accommodation interest up close to 255 percent
- Rotorua - accommodation interest up over 250 percent
- Canterbury - accommodation interest up over 245 percent
- Wellington - accommodation interest up over 215 percent
- Otago - accommodation interest up more than 210 percent
- Waikato - accommodation interest up over 200 percent
- Manawatu - accommodation interest up over 190 percent
- Bay of Plenty - accommodation interest up almost 190 percent
- Wairarapa - accommodation interest up close to 100 percent
