International tourists return to the mix
The surge of demand is partly due to returning international tourists, who seem increasingly interested in rental accommodations according to Bachcare’s head of revenue Nick Peirce.
“What we can see from the data is that overseas visitors are increasingly choosing holiday home rentals and will make up over a fifth of our bookings during the coming peak season,” he said.
While international guests made up 15 per cent of bookings pre-pandemic, they are forecast to make up 21 per cent this summer.
As for why international tourists are opting for the bach model, people tended to site space and flexibility as key reasons.
“The feedback we are getting from this segment of international visitors is that holiday homes provide the flexibility to stay in regions in larger groups, particularly where accommodation space is constrained at this time of year,” Pierce said.
Considering the global cost of living crisis and the price of international flights, the ability to cook meals and save money is likely to appeal to travellers as well.
Most popular spots to celebrate New Years
If you wanted to ring in 2023 in Coromandel, Lake Taupo, Queenstown, Mount Maunganui/Papamoa and the Bay of Islands, your accommodation options will be slim.
Homes listed on Bachcare in these areas are already 90 per cent occupied for the first week of January 2023, Pierce reported.
However, if you were set on these spots, you could snag them the week prior when they are at 70 – 80 per cent.
