Guest nights up in July - jump in foreign visitors

The number of guest nights spent in short term commercial accommodation was up 3 per cent in July from a year earlier, says Stats NZ. Photo / Wairarapa Times Age.

The number of guest nights spent in short term commercial accommodation was up 3 per cent in July from a year earlier.

It was only the third month in the past year where the number has been up on the year ago figure, and was boosted by rises in guest nights in Queenstown and Ruapehu.

Of the 2.2 million guest nights in July, international visitors accounted for 800,000, an increase of 2 per cent from July 2008, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said today.

An increase in overall guest nights from a year earlier was reported in eight of 12 regions.

Otago had the biggest increase, up 29,000 or 8 per cent, Auckland was up 26,000 or 6 per cent, Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui lifted 10,000 or 7 per cent, and Waikato was up 10,000 or 6 per cent.

While international guest nights were up for the country as a whole, they were down in eight of 12 regions.

The main lift in international numbers was in Otago, up by 22,000 or 10 per cent from July 2008, with Waikato reporting a lift of 5000 or 15 per cent.

The 1.4m domestic guest nights in July were 56,000 or 4 per cent up on a year earlier. Auckland was up 27,000 or 12 per cent, Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui gained 8000 or 6 per cent, and Otago gained 7000 or 4 per cent.

Four of the five accommodation types surveyed showed increases in guest nights, with hotels up 63,000 or 8 per cent and motels up 5000 or 1 per cent. Hosted accommodation was down 1000 or 4 per cent.

The occupancy rate, excluding caravan parks/camping grounds, was 42 per cent, down from 43 per cent in July 2008. Of the regions Otago was top with 57 per cent, followed by Auckland with 53 per cent and Wellington with 50 per cent.

- NZPA