Cricket World Cup gives unseasonal boost to guest nights in March

Tuesday 12th May 2015

New Zealand guest nights rose at a slower monthly pace, on a seasonally adjusted basis, in March as an increase in domestic overnight stays offset a fall in international guests taking accommodation.

However, the combination of Cricket World Cup games and the timing of school holidays saw a big jump in both domestic and international guest nights on an unadjusted basis, compared to the same month a year earlier.

Seasonally adjusted national guest nights rose 0.4 percent in March, slowing from February’s 2.4 percent climb, according to Statistics New Zealand. Domestic guest nights increased 0.9 percent in March, offsetting a decline in international stays of 0.5 percent.

On an unadjusted basis national guest nights climbed 7.5 percent to 3.55 million guest nights in March from the same month a year earlier marking the 12th consecutive month of gains, with international guest nights up 11 percent to 1.2 million, while domestic guest nights rose 5.1 percent to 1.9 million.

"March was a good month for all regions and for both international and domestic guest nights," business indicators manager Neil Kelly said. "Visitor numbers were boosted by the Cricket World Cup, and the timing of holiday periods."

North Island guest nights rose 6.7 percent to an unadjusted 2 million in March from the previous comparable period, while South Island sales increased 8.7 percent to 1.5 million. Across the regions all recorded an increase in guest nights. The West Coast was the biggest gainer with guest nights jumping 14 percent to 151,000. Auckland was the largest source of guest accommodation, with overnight stays rising 5.7 percent to 676,000 while Wellington stays increased 3.5 percent to 274,000.

All four accommodation nights recorded increased stays. Hotels rose 6.7 percent to 1.2 million guest nights, paced by an 8.8 percent increase in motel stays to 1.2 million. Backpackers rose 3.9 percent to 519,000 while holiday parks increased 9.6 percent to 671,000.

Today's data shows total capacity in short term accommodation fell 0.7 percent in March from a year earlier, while occupancy rates improved to 49 percent from 45 percent in March 2014.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

Comments from our readers

No comments yet