Guest nights in short-term accommodation rose four per cent in April on the same month a year earlier mainly due to the timing of Easter, Statistics New Zealand said today.
Easter was in April this year and March last year.
Guest nights for the two months ended April were 2 per cent lower than for the same period in 2005.
Of the five accommodation types, hotels were the only one to record a fall in guest numbers. Caravan parks/camping grounds and motels recorded the largest increases.
Nine of 12 regions recorded a rise in guest nights, with Otago and Canterbury recording the largest increases.
Guest nights spent by international visitors were 1 per cent lower in April than in April 2005, with guest nights for Japanese visitors recording the largest decrease.
Domestic guest nights were 8 per cent higher, boosted by the change in the timing of Easter.
Guest nights were 1 per cent higher in the North Island and 8 per cent higher in the South Island, compared with April 2005.
- NZPA
Easter dates boost April guest nights
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