International guest nights down in October

Total guest nights were down 1.7 percent in October 2010 compared with October 2009, Statistics New Zealand said today. International guest nights decreased 5.7 percent in this period while domestic guest nights increased 0.9 percent.

Eight of the 12 regions had fewer guest nights in October 2010 than in the previous October. While four of the North Island regions, led by Auckland, had increases, all South Island regions had decreases.

"The largest decrease in guest nights was in Canterbury, which is likely to be at least partly due to the September earthquake," business statistics manager Kathy Connolly said. International guest nights were down significantly (14.4 percent) in Canterbury compared with October 2009, although this was partly offset by an increase in domestic guest nights.

By accommodation type, motels (down 5.4 percent) had the largest decrease in guest nights in October 2010, followed by backpackers, and holiday parks. For the fourth consecutive month, hotels (up 4.3 percent), were the only accommodation type to record an increase compared with the same month of the previous year. Hotels also had the largest share of guest nights in October 2010, at 38 percent.

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

Highlights

Compared with October 2009: 

• Total guest nights decreased 1.7 percent.
• Guest nights fell in eight of the 12 regions, particularly in the South Island, led by Canterbury.
• International guest nights decreased 11.1 percent in the South Island and 0.5 percent in the North Island.
• Domestic guest nights increased 1.0 percent in the North Island and 0.6 percent in the South Island.
• Motels, backpackers, and holiday parks had decreases in guest nights while hotels had the only increase.