Hotel guest nights lead increase in July

Overnight stays in hotels were up 4 percent in July 2010 compared with the previous July, Statistics New Zealand said today.

"Hotels were the only accommodation type to record an increase," business statistics manager Louise Holmes-Oliver said. Guest nights were down in motels, backpackers, and holiday parks, which each had a decrease of 2 percent.

International guest nights were up 2 percent in July 2010 compared with July 2009, while domestic guest nights were down 1 percent. As a result, total guest nights in July 2010 were similar to July 2009, up just 0.2 percent.

Regionally, the Bay of Plenty had the biggest increase in guest nights in July 2010 compared with the previous July. The 12 percent increase was largely driven by an increase in domestic guest nights. The Otago region also recorded a large increase, up 3 percent, driven by an increase in international guest nights.

Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui had the biggest decrease in guest nights, down 9 percent, mostly due to a similar-sized decrease in domestic guest nights.

The Accommodation Survey records guests staying in hotels, motels, backpackers, and holiday parks in New Zealand each month.

Geoff Bascand 13 September 2010

Government Statistician