Auckland hotels have had a year of steady trading with leisure, corporate and conference business returning to normal patterns following Rugby World Cup in 2011.
Tourism Industry Association figures released yesterday showed last year was a year of gradual stabilisation in occupancy and rates for many regions.
"After a very eventful 2011 with the Rugby World Cup and the Christchurch earthquake changing visitor flows significantly, 2012 was relatively uneventful. This offered hotels an opportunity to adjust to the new post-GFC business environment of shifts in visitor markets, the increasingly short-lead nature of bookings and people remaining very price conscious," TIA hotels sector manager Rachael Shadbolt said.
An association survey showed Auckland's 37 association hotel members had a 75.6 per cent occupancy rate, down 1.6 points compared to 2011 and the second highest occupancy of all members after Christchurch. This was above the national occupancy of 69.9 per cent.
Auckland hotels achieved the sixth highest average room rate of the eight hotel regions at $136, down $21.60 on 2011, but up $2.93 on 2010, which she said was a better comparison given it was a year when there was no big event.
