Accommodation Survey: January 2010

Total guest nights

Total guest nights in short-term commercial accommodation were 4.4 million in January 2010, a 4 percent increase compared with January 2009, and 1 percent higher than in January 2008. This is the highest number of guest nights recorded in any month since the survey began in July 1996. January is traditionally the month in which the highest guest nights are recorded. 

The trend has been increasing from the start of 2009, after a decline in 2008. The trend level is now 4 percent higher than the previous low in December 2008 but similar to the December 2007 high.

 

Guest nights by island

Guest nights in the North Island were 2.5 million in January 2010, a 4 percent increase compared with January 2009, and similar to January 2008.

The trend in North Island guest nights has been increasing from the start of 2009, after a decline in 2008, and is now 2 percent higher than the previous low in December 2008 but still 2 percent lower than the previous high in November 2007.

 

Guest nights in the South Island were 1.9 million in January 2010, a 5 percent increase compared with January 2009 and 2 percent higher than in January 2008.

The trend in South Island guest nights has continued to increase strongly from the start of 2009 after declining in 2008. The trend level is 6 percent higher than the previous low in December 2008, and is now 2 percent higher than the previous peak in October 2007.

 

Guest nights by region

Eleven of the 12 regions recorded more guest nights in January 2010 than in January 2009. The regions showing the largest increases were:

• Waikato, up 41,000 (10 percent)
• Canterbury, up 31,000 (5 percent)
• Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman, up 30,000 (8 percent)
• Wellington, up 23,000 (10 percent).

The Waikato, Otago, and Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman regions all recorded their highest number of guest nights since the series began.

The only region with a decrease in guest nights was Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui, down 11,000 (5 percent).

When January 2010 is compared with the previous high in January 2008, six of the 12 regions recorded lower guest nights, led by:

• Auckland, down 20,000 (3 percent)
• Northland, down 17,000 (5 percent)
• Bay of Plenty, down 7,000 (1 percent).

Origin of guests

International visitors contributed 1.7 million guest nights in January 2010, an increase of 126,000 (8 percent) from January 2009. These visitors provided 32 percent of total guest nights in the North Island and 48 percent of those in the South Island.

Domestic guest nights numbered 2.7 million, an increase of 61,000 (2 percent) from January 2009.   Domestic travellers contributed 61 percent of total guest nights, making up 68 percent of North Island and 52 percent of South Island guest nights.

 

Ten of the 12 regions showed an increase in international guest nights, led by:

• Otago, up 34,000 (13 percent)
• Canterbury, up 27,000 (9 percent)
• Bay of Plenty, up 19,000 (15 percent)
• Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman, up 16,000 (15 percent).

The only two regions to show a decrease were the West Coast, down 4,000 (4 percent) and Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui, down 1,000 (4 percent).

In January 2010, there were 47,000 (6 percent) more international guests in the North Island than in January 2009, with six of the seven North Island regions recording increases in international guest nights. International guest nights in the South Island were up 79,000 (9 percent), with four of the five South Island regions showing increases.

 

Seven of the 12 regions recorded higher domestic guest nights in January 2010 than in January 2009.

The regions recording the largest increases in domestic guest nights were:

• Waikato, up 39,000 (14 percent)
• Wellington, up 20,000 (14 percent)
• Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman, up 14,000 (6 percent).

Otago had the largest decrease, down 16,000 guest nights (5 percent), followed by Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui, down 10,000 (6 percent). 

In January 2010, domestic guest nights in the North Island were up 58,000 (3 percent), with four of the seven North Island regions recording increases compared with January 2009. In the South Island, three of the five regions had more domestic guest nights, up 4,000 (less than 1 percent) from January 2009.

 

Comparison with short-term overseas visitor arrival statistics

International Travel and Migration: January 2010 shows that short-term overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand in January 2010 were up 12,600 (5 percent) from January 2009. This follows an increase of 19,100 (6 percent) in December 2009 compared with December 2008.

In January 2010 compared with January 2009, there were more people visiting friends and relatives, up 5,300 (7 percent), more visitors on holiday, up 2,900 (2 percent), and more here on business, up 1,100 (7 percent).

New Zealand resident short-term departures for January 2010 were up 1,700 (2 percent) from January 2009.

Guest nights by accommodation type

In January 2010, all four accommodation types had more guest nights than in January 2009:

• hotels, up 80,000 (8 percent)
• holiday parks, up 51,000 (3 percent)
• motels, up 30,000 (3 percent)
• backpackers, up 26,000 (5 percent).

In January 2010 compared with January two years ago, three of the four accommodation types had more guest nights:

• backpackers, up 45,000 (9 percent)
• hotels, up 24,000 (2 percent)
• holiday parks, up 4,000 (less than 1 percent).

Motels were down 32,000, or 3 percent compared with the same month two years ago.

 

In January 2010, holiday parks had the largest share of total guest nights (36 percent), followed by motels (27 percent), and hotels (24 percent). Holiday parks have always had the largest share of total guest nights in January months. 

Occupancy rate

Excluding holiday parks, the occupancy rate in January 2010 was 57 percent, compared with 56 percent in January 2009. Accommodation capacity, excluding holiday parks, was 2 percent above the January 2009 level.

Motels had the highest occupancy rate (58 percent) of all the accommodation types in January 2010, followed by hotels (57 percent), and backpackers (56 percent).

Excluding the holiday parks category, seven of the 12 regions had higher occupancy rates in January 2010 than in January 2009. The regions with the highest occupancy rates were:

• Otago (64 percent)
• Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman (63 percent)
• Bay of Plenty (60 percent).

 

Response rates

 

When respondents do not answer questions in this survey, Statistics New Zealand estimates the missing information based on data from similar establishments in the same or similar regions. For more information, please see the 'Technical notes' section or contact Statistics NZ.

Survey change

From the September 2009 survey month, the following changes have been implemented for the Accommodation Survey:

• the 'hosted' accommodation group has been removed from the survey
• regional boundaries have been updated.

We have also updated data for the previous months based on the new regional boundaries and with the 'hosted' accommodation type removed. These updates will allow for continued time series comparison.

Two classifications have been renamed:

• 'backpackers/hostels' has been renamed 'backpackers'
• 'caravan parks/camping grounds' has been renamed 'holiday parks'.

However, the coverage remains unchanged.

These changes are the result of a joint review conducted by Statistics NZ and the Ministry of Tourism, which aimed to balance the need for high quality information against the need to reduce respondent load.

Statistics NZ would like to thank all respondents for participating in the Accommodation Survey. Their commitment and support enables us to produce an accurate picture of the evolving New Zealand economy.

Survey sponsorship

The Accommodation Survey is a monthly survey undertaken by Statistics NZ and sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism.

For technical information contact: 
Christine Sadler or Tehseen Islam
Christchurch 03 964 8700
Email: info@stats.govt.nz

Next release ...

Accommodation Survey: February 2010 will be released on 12 April 2010.