Stewart Island riding domestic tourism wave
Stewart Island Backpackers co-manager Michaela Joy said – despite no international tourists – Stewart Island’s busy season started about three months early last year, in September, and it wasn’t quietening down. “Since about September most of the island has been pretty full most nights. And we are already getting lots of bookings for the April school holidays and on random dates in April, which is quite unusual.” She had been “terrified” at the hostel’s business prospects when Covid lockdown was enforced 10 months ago. “We didn’t know if we would ever get business ag...