Police say they will take a tougher line on people if they don't behave properly in public spaces during the lockdown.

Questions have been raised about travel restrictions after a group of German tourists left their South Island lockdown accommodation "to enjoy the rest of their vacation".

Tarin King, who owns an Airbnb house in Te Anau, said she reported the apparent breach to the police, only to be told the tourists were doing nothing wrong.

She had been contacted by a German woman asking she could self self-isolate in her Airbnb from March 21.

Marjorie Cook/Stuff Three tourists self-isolating in Te Anau checked out of their Airbnb accommodation to travel to Wanaka, pictured, during level 4 restrictions. (file photo)

Shortly before coronavirus alert level 4 restrictions were implemented, the woman asked if two other tourists, who had been staying in a backpackers, could join her and King agreed.

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"On March 29, she sent me a message [via the Airbnb website] to say they are checking out and heading to Wanaka to 'enjoy the rest of their vacation' while they are waiting for a flight," King said.

123RF Tarin King, who runs an Airbnb in Te Anau, is concerned about tourists breaking the coronavirus lockdown rules.

She replied questioning the move during lockdown, but did not receive a response. A concerned King reported the group to police.

Shortly after, King said she received a call back from a police officer, saying they were not breaching any rules.

According to the officer, the tourists were allowed to travel to Wanaka because it was closer to Christchurch should they need to get to the airport to catch a flight. The drive is about three hours and 226km.

AIR NEW ZEALAND Air New Zealand has agreed to offer charter flights to Germans stuck in New Zealand during the lockdown, but how this will be done has not yet been decided. (File photo)

"I don't really understand this, because if that is the case, then why don't they just drive directly to Christchurch? This is just terrible for our country and breaks all the rules we as citizens have to abide by. It also puts a whole town or two at risk," King said.

A police spokeswoman could not comment on specific details of the incident due to "privacy reasons".

"Our staff make decisions on a case by case basis based on the information at hand," she said. "During the Alert Level 4 restriction people should keep their travel local unless there are exceptional circumstances."

The spokeswoman did not respond to a question on whether the tourists' circumstances were considered exceptional.

Last week a contract was signed between the German Embassy in Wellington and Air New Zealand to offer charter flights to Germans stuck in New Zealand during the lockdown. But after only one departure concerns about the potential health hazards posed by overseas visitors travelling domestically to catch international flights put a halt to it all.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said officials had been directed to report back by March 31 on a framework for considering requests for further repatriation flights, including domestic travel requirements.

By last week more than 12,000 Germans in New Zealand had registered for the repatriation program.

According to information on the German Embassy's Facebook page on Tuesday, it was still in talks with the New Zealand Government to have repatriation flights resumed.

Germany is one of the countries worst-affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 62,000 confirmed cases and 500 deaths.