Queenstown tourism operators are heading into summer on a high, with strong visitor numbers and growing optimism

There were about 192-thousand international arrivals at Queenstown Airport between January and August - just five percent below pre-Covid levels.

Australians make up 40 percent of visitors, followed by those from the US.

Future Hospitality Group director Bert Haines says summer bookings are already ahead of last year, but spending still needs to lift to offset high staffing costs.

He says Queenstown's no longer just about adventure tourism, adding there's a real buzz around town.