International guest nights fall

Total guest nights numbered 1.9 million in May 2012, down 0.3 percent from May 2011, Statistics New Zealand said today.

"There were 2.7 percent fewer international guest nights, and 1.0 percent more domestic guest nights in May 2012," industry and labour statistics manager Blair Cardno said. "International guest nights fell across most of New Zealand, while domestic guest nights rose in the South Island and fell in the North Island."

Total guest nights fell 1.5 percent in the North Island in May 2012, but rose 1.9 percent in the South Island. Increases in guest nights in Otago and Waikato were more than offset by decreases in most other regions.

Guest night trends for the North and South Islands continue to decline.

Nationally, fewer guest nights were spent in backpacker accommodation and holiday parks, while hotel and motel guest nights increased. Guest nights in hotels and backpacker accommodation remain below their pre-earthquakes levels.

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

For more information on monthly accommodation statistics, see the Accommodation Survey: May 2012; for visitor numbers, see International Travel and Migration.

See also:
Accommodation Survey: May 2012  –  Information release