Lions tour boosts guest spots

Guest nights in commercial accommodations got a big boost from the British and Irish Lions rugby tour in June, a Statistics New Zealand report said yesterday.

They were up 7 per cent in June this year compared with the same period last year.

Total guest nights for the year to June were 31.6 million, a 4 per cent increase on the previous year.

External migration figures show 28,200 visitors from the United Kingdom and Ireland arrived for the June period, 15,800 more than last June.

The majority of this increase took place in the five days up to June 25, the day of the first Lions test match.

The figures do not include guests who stayed in private or temporary accommodations, such as cruise ships and campervan sites.

Of the 12 regions recorded, nine recorded more guest nights this June.

Guest nights were 13 per cent higher in South Island and 4 per cent higher in North Island.

Canterbury recorded the largest increase, followed by Wellington and Otago - all hosts of Lions matches.

Hotels showed the biggest gain, followed by backpackers/hostels and motels.

However, the average visitor's length of stay for the month was 18 days, down from 19 last June.

The trend in total guest nights has been increasing since June 1998. The monthly survey is sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism.

- NZPA