Michelin Stars Boost New Zealand's Economy as Restaurants See Surge in Bookings

New Zealand's Michelin star restaurants are seeing significant economic benefits, including increased jobs and trading days.

Since receiving their stars in June, restaurants like Queenstown's Essence have hired new staff and seen a surge in bookings. Essence, which received two Michelin stars, has seen its waitlist double from four tables a night to eight. The restaurant is running at almost full capacity for the next four months.

Other restaurants, such as Wellington's Logan Brown and Christchurch's Inati, have also reported increased business. Logan Brown has employed an additional full-time waiter and is preparing to reopen on Tuesdays, while Inati has seen 80 bookings in the first half-hour after the Michelin announcement. The restaurant is now fully booked every night and regularly receives forward bookings through to March from international visitors.

Tourism New Zealand predicted that Michelin could generate up to 36,000 extra visitors a year, contributing an additional $185m to the economy over three years. While some industry experts suggest that the true impact of Michelin will become apparent in the coming summer months, others believe it is already having a significant influence on international travellers.

Chris Martin, co-owner of Auckland's Ahi, said website traffic increased so dramatically after the Michelin announcement that his web developer initially thought the site was being hit by bots. The restaurant has seen its busiest July on record and is tracking towards a record August.