Guest Nights Continue To Grow

Accommodation Survey: February 2001

Guests spent 2.7 million nights in short-term commercial accommodation during February 2001, according to Statistics New Zealand's Accommodation Survey. This figure is 4 per cent above February 2000 levels, despite February 2001 having one less day. If February 2001 had had the same number of days as February 2000, then guest nights and capacity measures would have been approximately 3 per cent higher than reported.

South Island guest nights increased 8 per cent in February 2001 when compared with February 2000, while North Island guest nights were up 1 per cent. The South Island accounted for 45 per cent of the total guest nights in February 2001. This is the largest monthly share of total guest nights for the South Island since the start of the survey in July 1996.

All accommodation types had higher levels of guest nights in February 2001 than in February 2000. In February 2001, hotels, and the hosted and backpacker accommodation types, all recorded their second-highest monthly guest nights total since the survey began in July 1996. These accommodation types recorded their highest levels in guest nights in January 2001.

Excluding caravan parks/camping grounds, the occupancy rate for short-term accommodation in February 2001 was 66 per cent, up from 64 per cent in February 2000. This is the highest monthly occupancy rate since the survey began in July 1996.

Ian Ewing DEPUTY GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN

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