‘When buying into the business, we knew it was seasonal’: perceptions of seasonality in Central Otago, New Zealand

Although the majority of the academic literature makes a convincing economic case when suggesting that seasonality is problematic, it is, arguably, equally important to consider whether businesses themselves perceive seasonality as a distinct problem. This paper considers the extent to which businesses and operations, variably involved in tourism, perceive seasonality. A case study of the Central Otago region of New Zealand is offered. The results suggest that although seasonality is perceived as a salient issue for the sector itself, it is not universally perceived to be inherently problematic from the perspective of the individual business/operator.