Accommodation Survey: March 2010 – Media Release
Overnight stays in hotels were up 5 percent in March 2010 compared with the previous March, Statistics New Zealand said today. Hotel guest nights have increased for four months in a row compared with the same month the previous year. Hotels also had the highest occupancy rate of the four accommodation types included in the Accommodation Survey. The number of overnight stays in hotels was the third highest month on record, after February and March 2008.
"The increase in hotel guest nights led a 2 percent increase in total guest nights for March 2010," said business statistics manager Kathy Connolly.
Holiday parks and motels also had more guest nights in March 2010 compared with the same month last year, up 3 percent and 1 percent respectively. Backpackers had the only decrease, down 1 percent.
Nine of the 12 regions recorded more guest nights in March 2010 than in the previous March. Otago, Bay of Plenty, and Canterbury had the largest increases, while Hawke's Bay/Gisborne and Wellington had the largest decreases in guest nights.
International guest nights were up 3 percent from March 2009 and domestic guest nights were up 2 percent.
The Accommodation Survey began in July 1996 and records guests staying in hotels, motels, backpackers, and holiday parks in New Zealand each month.
| Geoff Bascand |
12 May 2010 |
| Government Statistician |
|
END
For media enquiries contact:
Kathy Connolly
Christchurch 03 964 8700
Email: info@stats.govt.nz