Widespread Rise in October Guest Nights

Widespread Rise in October Guest Nights

New Zealand’s total guest nights increased 4.8 percent to 3.1 million in October 2017 compared with October 2016, Stats NZ said today.

“October was a busy month with guest nights increasing in 11 of the 12 regions, with over half of the national increase occurring in Canterbury, Otago, and the Bay of Plenty,” accommodation statistics manager Melissa McKenzie said. “The only exception to widespread increases in guest nights occurred in Auckland, where guest nights fell 6.3 percent from a high last October,” Ms McKenzie said.

The strong growth in Canterbury was driven by more guest nights spent in hotels and backpackers than in October last year. In Otago, motel and hotel guest nights increased the most, boosted by tourist hot spots Wanaka and Queenstown. The growth in the Bay of Plenty was driven by increases in motel and holiday park guest nights.

“Good weather, an extended ski season, and more school holidays falling in October than last year, may have contributed to increases in guest nights across the country,” Ms McKenzie said “Interestingly, domestic and international guest nights increased a similar amount, both up about 5 percent from October 2016.”

ENDS

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