Queenstown Lakes District is located in the Otago region of New Zealand’s South Island. It covers 8,700 square kilometres and has a population of approximately 54,000. The district includes Queenstown, Wānaka, Arrowtown and Glenorchy, and natural attractions such as Lake Wakatipu and Lake Wānaka. Its lakes and mountains offer striking scenery throughout the four seasons.

Queenstown is the district’s tourism centre, attracting approximately 3.8 million international visitors in the year to June 2025. It has been named the “world’s best outdoor adventure destination”, offering snow sports, bungy jumping, jet boating and hiking. Its distinctive scenery also made the surrounding area a filming location for The Lord of the Rings.

Arrowtown lies northeast of Queenstown, approximately 20 minutes away by car. Gold was discovered in the nearby Arrow River in 1862, attracting large numbers of prospectors, including many Chinese miners who settled in Arrowtown. The Chinese Settlement still preserves huts once occupied by these miners.

Tourism is a major pillar of the local economy. In 2025, the district’s tourism GDP was approximately NZ$1.5 billion, accounting for 31.4% of its economy and supporting 12,600 jobs.

Queenstown established a sister-city relationship with Hangzhou in 2013.

The current mayor is John Glover.