NZ guest nights fell in May, snapping 25 consecutive monthly gains

Tuesday 12th July 2016

New Zealand guest nights fell in May, snapping 25 consecutive months of rises, as fewer domestic guest nights offset a gain in international stays.

National guest nights declined 0.4 percent to 2.3 million in May from the same month a year earlier, which was a record for the month, Statistics New Zealand said. Domestic guest nights dropped 6.4 percent in the latest month, while international guest nights jumped 9.7 percent, the statistics agency said.

The country's accommodation sector has been on a tear as record tourism pushes up demand for beds. However, that's softened in the latest data, with seven of the 12 regional areas experiencing fewer guest nights.

Guest nights spent in the North Island slipped 1.2 percent to 1.5 million in May, while South Island guest nights advanced 1 percent to 873,000.

The Taranaki, Manawatu-Whanganui region led the declines, with guest nights falling 11 percent to 105,000 from the year earlier month, followed by Waikato which dropped 7.3 percent to 177,000, and Wellington which slid 6.4 percent to 216,000. Southland recorded the biggest increase in guest nights for the month, up 11 percent to 58,000.

The overall occupancy rate for commercial accommodation advanced to 34.8 percent from 34.3 percent in the year earlier month. The hotel occupancy rate increased to 60.7 percent from 58.2 percent, the backpacker occupancy rate edged up to 35.7 percent from 35.5 percent, while the occupancy rate at holiday parks advanced to 10.9 percent from 10.7 percent. Motel occupancy rates declined to 46.7 percent from 46.9 percent.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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