Asia popular with Kiwis as NZ hotel prices rise

MEDIA RELEASE

Asia popular with Kiwis as New Zealand hotel prices rise in 2014

New Zealand hotel rates rose by 5 per cent in 2014 while Asian hotel prices fell

Auckland, 3 March 2015 [UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 6PM, TUESDAY, 3 MARCH 2015]: The latest Hotels.com™ Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®) has revealed a 5 per cent rise in hotel prices paid by Kiwis in New Zealand in 2014, increasing from an average $139 per night in 2013 to $146 in 2014.

The Hotels.com HPI is based on bookings made on Hotels.com sites globally and tracks the actual prices paid per hotel room (rather than advertised rates) for more than 169,000 properties worldwide.

Queenstown topped the charts of New Zealand cities with the highest hotel price increase in 2014, rising by a substantial 16 per cent. Kiwis paid an average of $26 more per room per night there than a year ago, at $186 per night. Dunedin hotel prices rose 11 per cent, from $131 to $145, and in Auckland by 6 six per cent from $137 to $144. Hotel prices in Christchurch remained stable with no change year-on-year ($155).

On the other hand, the prices of hotel rooms in Asia dropped for Kiwis travellers in 2014, meaning Kiwis got more value for hotels in that part of the world. Hotel prices plummeted for Kiwis across the continent, with hot spots like Thailand and Cambodia falling by double-digit figures, and India and Vietnam by almost 10 per cent. Hotel prices in Bali fell by a significant 24 per cent, while Bangkok hotel prices slumped 14 per cent.

Hotel prices in Australia fell 3 per cent in 2014 for Kiwis, with Sydney hotel prices falling 4 per cent and Melbourne 2 per cent. However in the Pacific, prices for hotel rooms rose 9 per cent in Fiji and almost 20 per cent in Samoa and a whopping 27 per cent in the Cook Islands, but fell in Vanuatu (-5 per cent).

The city where Kiwi travellers paid the most for a hotel room in 2014 was New York, paying an average of $338 per night.

As economic growth in New Zealand and the country’s currency continues to strengthen, so has consumer confidence. This, coupled with a 5.4 per cent increase[1] in visitor arrivals since 2013, saw New Zealand hotels experience their highest annual occupancy rates in 10 years.

This growth is expected to continue well into 2015 with New Zealand playing host to popular international events such as the Cricket World Cup, which will help to further boost visitor numbers and hotel demand.

Commenting on this year’s Hotel Price Index, Regional Director for the Hotels.com brand, Katherine Cole, said: “Kiwi travellers can look forward to continuing to get great value for money in Asia in 2015, while New Zealand hoteliers will be profiting from increased hotel room prices on the back of the Cricket World Cup and increased inbound traffic, in particular from China.”

“With the widest range of hotel choices, competitive deals and leading-edge technology, Hotels.com is the ideal place to find a bargain for a holiday this year,” she said.

A snapshot of hotel prices in 2014:

Change in New Zealand hotel prices for New Zealand travellers in 2014:

Top five international destinations with the highest growth in hotel prices for New Zealand travellers in 2014:

Top five international destinations where New Zealand travellers paid the most for hotels in 2014:

Top five most affordable destinations for New Zealand travellers in 2014:

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About the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index

The Hotels.com Hotel Price Index is based on bookings made on Hotels.com sites around the world and tracks the actual prices paid per hotel room (rather than advertised rates) for more than 169,000 properties. The figures referenced in this media release are based on prices paid by New Zealand travellers in New Zealand dollars (NZD) in 2014.

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