A bumper summer season on the West Coast has seen visitor spending surpass pre-pandemic levels

MarketView data shows tourism revenue reached 21-million dollars in December, compared with 17 million in 2019.

Businesses are now preparing for more staffing issues - as students return to their studies.

Development West Coast chief executive, Heath Milne, says this is the kind of summer they needed.

But he says it's proved challenging, particularly for smaller businesses, to meet demand - and people are working very hard to make the most of the holiday season.