Hotel guest nights lead increase in July

Photo / Wairarapa Times Age

Overnight stays in hotels were up 4 per cent in July 2010 compared with the previous July, Statistics New Zealand said today.

"Hotels were the only accommodation type to record an increase," business statistics manager Louise Holmes-Oliver said.

Guest nights were down in motels, backpackers, and holiday parks, which each had a decrease of 2 per cent.

International guest nights were up 2 per cent in July 2010 compared with July 2009, while domestic guest nights were down 1 per cent. As a result, total guest nights in July 2010 were similar to July 2009, up just 0.2 per cent.

Regionally, the Bay of Plenty had the biggest increase in guest nights in July 2010 compared with the previous July. The 12 per cent increase was largely driven by an increase in domestic guest nights. The Otago region also recorded a large increase, up 3 per cent, driven by an increase in international guest nights.

Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui had the biggest fall in guest nights, down 9 per cent, mostly due to a similar-sized decrease in domestic guest nights.


- HERALD ONLINE