Accommodation Survey: March 2002

10 May 2002

Guest Nights Up Guests spent 3.1 million nights in short-term commercial accommodation in March 2002, according to Statistics New Zealand. This figure is 17 percent above the March 2001 level. Part of this increase may be due to the timing of the Easter holidays, which occurred at the end of March in 2002, but in 2001 fell in the middle of April. The contribution of this timing change cannot be quantified.

North Island guest nights increased 18 percent in March 2002 when compared with March 2001, while South Island guest nights were up 17 percent over the same period. All regions recorded higher levels of guest nights in March 2002 than in March 2001, with both the Wellington and Southland regions recording their highest monthly totals since the survey began in July 1996.

All accommodation types recorded guest night growth of 12 percent or more in March 2002, when compared with March 2001. Hotels and backpackers/hostels both reported their highest monthly guest night totals since the survey began.

Excluding caravan parks/camping grounds, the occupancy rate for short-term commercial accommodation in March 2002 was 66 percent, up from 62 percent in March 2001.

Brian Pink Government Statistician

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