Guest Nights Record Small Increase

Guest Nights Record Small Increase

Total guest nights reached 3.9 million in January 2003, a 1 percent increase compared with January 2002, according to Statistics New Zealand. This is the smallest annual increase for a January month since the survey began in July 1996. However, it is the highest monthly guest nights total recorded for this survey.

Domestic visitors spent 2.4 million nights in short-term commercial accommodation in January 2003, down 3 percent from January 2002. Backpackers/hostels was the only accommodation type that recorded more domestic guest nights in January 2003 than in January 2002.

International guests accounted for 1.5 million guest nights in January 2003, 10 percent more than in January 2002. All accommodation types recorded more international guest nights in January 2003 than in January 2002.

Eight of the 12 regions recorded more guest nights in January 2003 than in January 2002. Of these, six recorded their highest monthly total for guest nights since the survey began. The Canterbury region (up 31,000 or 6 percent), Auckland region (up 21,000 or 4 percent), the West Coast (up 14,000 or 10 percent) and Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman (up 11,000 or 3 percent) recorded the largest increases in guest nights in January 2003, when compared with January 2002. These increases were partly offset by Bay of Plenty (down 26,000 or 5 percent) and Otago (down 14,000 or 3 percent), which recorded the largest decreases in guest nights in January 2003, when compared with January 2002.

All accommodation types, with the exception of caravan parks/camping grounds, recorded increases in guest nights in January 2003, when compared with January 2002.

Backpackers/hostels recorded the largest percentage increase in guest nights, up 9 percent in January 2003 when compared with January 2002.

Brian Pink

Government Statistician

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