Accommodation Survey: February 2010

Total guest nights

Total guest nights in short-term commercial accommodation were 3.3 million in February 2010, a 2 percent increase compared with February 2009, but 6 percent lower than in February 2008.  

After a period of decline in 2008, the trend has been increasing since December 2008, but has been flattening in recent months. The trend level is now 3 percent higher than the previous low in December 2008.

Waitangi Day occurred on a weekend (Saturday) in 2010 but was on a weekday in 2009 and 2008 (Friday and Wednesday respectively). There is some evidence that the impact on the data of a weekend Waitangi Day may be lower guest nights, but the exact effect cannot be accurately quantified.

 

Guest nights by island

Guest nights in the North Island were 1.8 million in February 2010, a 1 percent increase compared with February 2009, but 6 percent lower than in February 2008.

The trend in North Island guest nights has been rising slightly from the start of 2009, after a decline in 2008, and is now 1 percent higher than the previous low in December 2008 but still 3 percent lower than the previous high in November 2007.

 

 

Guest nights in the South Island were 1.5 million in February 2010, a 2 percent increase compared with February 2009 but 6 percent lower than in February 2008.

After a period of decline in 2008, the trend in South Island guest nights has been increasing from the start of 2009, but has been flattening in recent months. The trend level is 5 percent higher than the previous low in December 2008.

 

 

Guest nights by region

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

• Otago, up 21,000 (5 percent)
• Wellington, up 17,000 (7 percent)
• Auckland, up 9,000 (2 percent).

The regions showing decreases were:

• Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui, down 9,000 (6 percent)
• Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman, down 7,000 (3 percent)
• Hawke's Bay/Gisborne, down 5,000 (4 percent).

Origin of guests

International visitors contributed 1.7 million guest nights in February 2010, an increase of 94,000 (6 percent) from February 2009. Guest night numbers were still 130,000 (7 percent) lower than in February 2008, however.

These visitors provided 43 percent of total guest nights in the North Island and 60 percent of those in the South Island.

Nine of the 12 regions showed an increase in international guest nights in February 2010 compared with February 2009, led by:

• Otago, up 33,000 (13 percent)
• Bay of Plenty, up 17,000 (14 percent)
• Canterbury, up 17,000 (6 percent).

The three regions which had a decrease in international guest nights were Hawke's Bay/Gisborne, down 3,000 (6 percent), Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui, down 2,000 (7 percent), and West Coast, down 1,000 (1 percent).

All regions except Waikato still had fewer international guest nights than in February 2008.

 

Domestic guest nights numbered 1.6 million, a decrease of 45,000 (3 percent) from February 2009, and 83,000 (5 percent) fewer than in February 2008.  Nine of the 12 regions recorded fewer domestic guest nights in February 2010 than in February 2009.

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

• Bay of Plenty, down 14,000 (8 percent)
• Otago, down 12,000 (7 percent)
• Canterbury, down 11,000 (5 percent).

Wellington had the largest increase, up 15,000 (10 percent), followed by Southland, up 4,000 (12 percent) and West Coast, up 3,000 (6 percent). 

Nine of the 12 regions had fewer domestic guest nights than in February 2008.

 

Comparison with short-term overseas visitor arrival statistics

International Travel and Migration: February 2010 shows that short-term overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand in February 2010 were up 11,300 (4 percent) from February 2009. This follows an increase of 12,600 (5 percent) in January 2010 compared with January 2009.

New Zealand resident short-term departures for February 2010 were up 7,300 (8 percent) from February 2009.

Guest nights by accommodation type

In February 2010, three of the four accommodation types had more guest nights than in February 2009:

• hotels, up 65,000 (6 percent)
• motels, up 6,000 (1 percent)
• backpackers, up less than 1,000 (less than 1 percent).

Holiday parks had the only decrease in guest nights, down 22,000 (3 percent).

 

In February 2010, hotels had the largest share of total guest nights (33 percent), followed by motels (31 percent). 

Occupancy rate

Excluding holiday parks, the occupancy rate in February 2010 was 64 percent, compared with 63 percent in February 2009. Accommodation capacity, excluding holiday parks, was 2 percent above the February 2009 level.

Hotels had the highest occupancy rate (70 percent) of all the accommodation types in February 2010, followed by motels (64 percent), and backpackers (57 percent).

Excluding the holiday parks category, eight of the twelve regions had higher occupancy rates in February 2010 than in February 2009. The regions with the highest occupancy rates were:

• Wellington (72 percent)
• Auckland (71 percent)
• Southland (68 percent)
• Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman (68 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 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 Brylee Wayman
Christchurch 03 964 8700
Email: info@stats.govt.nz

Next release ...

Accommodation Survey: March 2010 will be released on 12 May 2010.