Kiwis Still Flock To The Bach These Holidays

MEDIA RELEASE: 15th January 2009

Recession? What Recession! Kiwis Still Flock To The Bach These Holidays. [Bookabach Releases Its Top-10 Most Popular Bach Holiday Destinations

Recession worries have not stopped kiwis flocking to the bach this summer says leading online holiday home website www.bookabach.co.nz. Today, Bookabach releases its top-10 most popular destinations over the holiday period.

Overall Bookabach saw a 45% increase in confirmed nights booked over the holiday period. Whangamata is at the top of the table over Waihi beach, last years most popular, with Mangawhai taking out 3rd place again. Coromandel locations, as expected features strongly. A lack of South Island destinations reflects the 5:1 ratio of North Island to South Island listings on Bookabach, with the closest South Island destination being Lake Wanaka, coming in at 12th. The highest average rental price locations were Omaha and Queenstown with rates at just over $330 per night.

Rank Location Movement from last year Avg rental
($/night)
1 Whangamata +1 $222
2 Waihi Beach
-1 $224
3 Mangawhai Heads
0 $201
4 Raglan +4 $181
5 Taupo Central
+3 $236
6 Whitianga -1 $241
7 Pauanui 0 $236
8 Waikanae Beach
-2 $165
9 Mt Maunganui
-5 $252
10 Tairua +2 $228

[TABLE: Most popular bach destinations based on total rental and non-rental occupancy over the holiday period (1-Dec-2008 to 13-Jan-2009). Values in brackets represent movement from last year. Source: www.bookabach.co.nz]

With recessionary concerns renters are more than ever looking for value for money - and bargains in particular. With per night rental prices varying between $165 and $252, baches prove to be a cost effective and popular choice for holidaymakers – especially when teaming up with friends and family and splitting the costs. Typical rental stays were between 4 and 7 nights.

Bookabach has added over 1,000 new properties on the website during 2008, and recession concerns are clearly fuelling recent growth. Bach owners concerned about reigning in expenses are looking to offset the costs associated with owning and operating a second home with rental income.

Bookabach users Shane Norton, with a bach in Port Charles Coromandel, comments: “Renting out our Sandy Bay bach via Bookabach has turned this around from being a cash sink to a fully self funding proposition within 6 months. That makes it now viable to keep long term and has made it possible for us to upgrade it with our surplus funds”

Peter Miles, CEO of Bookabach claims this typical. “Most of our bach-owner members are not looking for big rental incomes from their properties. It’s more about offsetting operating costs and breaking-even.”

So while most people have returned to work, it’s clear from Bookabach’s January traffic that kiwis are already planning their late January early February holidays away and getting in for those last minute deals and availabilities.

ABOUT AA BOOKABACH
Launched in 2000 and now a subsidiary for the NZ Automobile Association, Bookabach puts holidaymakers in touch with bach owners and property managers around the country. AA Bookabach is a subsidiary of the New Zealand Automobile Association and winner of the 2008 NetGuide Peoples Choice award for best new site, relaunch, innovation.

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