KEY POINTS:
Total guest nights in short-term commercial accommodation fell 5 per cent in June compared to a year earlier, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) says.
The fall of 96,000 guest nights took the June figure to 1.7 million, which was 1 per cent ahead of June 2006.
Motels contributed most of the decrease, down 91,000 or 14 per cent. Caravan parks/camping grounds were also down 14 per cent, with a decrease of 29,000 guest nights.
Despite the fall from a year ago, SNZ said the trend for total guest nights had been increasing since January 2006, with the trend level 3 per cent higher in June than a year earlier and 8 per cent higher than in June 2006.
In June this year, 11 of the 12 regions had fewer guest nights with Waikato down 22,000 or 13 per cent and Otago down 20,000 or 9 per cent.
Wellington was the only region to show an increase, with a rise of 2000 or 1 per cent.
Domestic guest nights were 1.1 million in June, which was 63 per cent of total guest nights, with international guest nights at 600,000.
In June, the occupancy rate excluding caravan parks/camping grounds was 38 per cent, compared with 40 per cent in June 2007.
For the year to the end of June, total guest nights increased 2 per cent compared with a year earlier.
Seven of the 12 regions recorded higher guest nights, led by Auckland, up 308,000 or 6 per cent, and Canterbury, up 276,000 or 5 per cent.
Waikato had the largest decrease, down 106,000 or 4 per cent.
- NZPA
