KEY POINTS:
Total guest nights spent in short term commercial accommodation were 2 per cent higher, at 4.4 million, in January from a year earlier.
The total for the month was the highest since the survey started in July 1996, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said today.
Northland had the largest absolute increase in January, compared to a year before, with 45,000 (14 per cent) more guest nights.
Auckland was up 32,000 (6 per cent), Bay of Plenty up 19,000 (4 per cent) and Wellington up 18,000 (8 per cent).
The largest absolute decrease was a 13,000 (3 per cent) drop in Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman, while Canterbury was down 12,000 (2 per cent). Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui and Southland also had fewer guest nights.
Of the 4.4 million total, 1.8 million were nights spent by international visitors, up 3 per cent on January 2006 and up 1 per cent on January 2005.
The Other Europe group, which excludes Britain, Ireland and Germany, had the largest absolute increase in international guest nights with a rise of 24,000 (10 per cent), SNZ said.
They were followed by visitors from Britain and Ireland who had 17,000 (5 per cent) more nights.
Visitors from Australia spent 11,000 (3 per cent) fewer guest nights, while those from Japan had 8000 (8 per cent) fewer.
Waikato had the largest increase in international guest nights, with a 15,000 (15 per cent) rise, followed by the 14,000 (14 per cent) increase for the West Coast, and 10,000 (8 per cent) increase for Northland.
Domestic guest nights accounted for 2.5 million of the total, a 2 per cent increase from January 2006 and similar to January 2005.
Northland had the largest absolute increase with a 36,000 (18 per cent) increase in domestic guest nights, followed by Auckland which was up 24,000 (10 per cent) and Bay of Plenty, up 21,000 (6 per cent).
Canterbury had the largest fall with a drop of 21,000 (7 per cent), while Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman was down 11,000 (4 per cent) and Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui down 10,000 (6 per cent).
Among the five accommodation types, hotels had the largest absolute increase in January from a year earlier, up 62,000 (7 per cent).
Backpackers/hostels had the next largest increase, up 21,000 (4 per cent), while hosted accommodation was the only accommodation type to record a decrease.
Motels, with 1.24 million, and backpackers/hostels, with 504,000, had their highest monthly guest night totals since the survey began.
- NZPA
