Every aspect of Queenstown, a resort town on the South Island of New Zealand, is dominated by tourism. (This is not a bad thing, merely an observation.) This is obvious when it comes to the local economy: at a conservative guess, one business in two is a restaurant, pub, hotel, hostel, car rental agency, or otherwise traveller-focused. But it’s also noticeable in the demographics. The workers I encountered were almost uniformly from out of town – Vancouver, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic, for example; presumably on working holidays – and even the New Zealanders were from elsewhere in the country.
The nearby towns of Wanaka and Cromwell don’t seem quite so touristy – their businesses seem more geared towards serving locals. (That said, that ever-reliable oracle Wikipedia describes Wanaka as a “resort town†and says tourism is on the rise.)
Agriculture is alive and well. There are a fair few sheep in the area, the odd herd of cattle, and, especially around Cromwell and Wanaka, plenty of vineyards.
Living in the little settlement of Glenorchy, about an hour away from Queenstown, appears to be a lifestyle choice – and  judging by the number of “For Sale†signs I saw on the buildings there, it’s not a lifestyle that appeals to everyone.
The ubiquitous souvenirs are plush animals from two brands – Kiwi & Friends and Tiny Travellers. Plush sheep are most common, but there are kiwis as well.
The food was excellent, both at the touristy (I recommend a restaurant named Fishbone in Queenstown – open for dinners only; lives up to the hype; try the calamari as a starter and the battered/crumbed fish & chips for a main) and the non-touristy (I had a delicious bacon & egg bagel at a Glenorchy cafe) establishments.
Last but not least, the landscape is beautiful – this could be the Switzerland of the South Pacific. In fact, it’s the area’s main draw. A picture is worth a thousand words:
