Tourism strength shows in numbers

By Phil Boeyen, ShareChat Business News Editor

Monday 12th March 2001

There's been further confirmation of the current tourism boom with figures showing guests spent a record 3.8 million nights in short-term accommodation during January.

Statistics New Zealand says the figure is 9% higher than last January and the highest monthly total for guest nights since the survey began four and a half years ago.

All regions recorded higher guest nights although the increase was highest in the South Island, where guest nights increased 16%. North Island guest nights rose 4%.

All accommodation types, except caravan parks/camping grounds, reported their highest monthly total for guest nights since the survey began. Hotels recorded the largest growth rate, with 21% more guest nights in January 2001 than in January 2000.

The figures show international visitor guest nights grew almost 24% over last January, to account for more than a third of total guest nights.

Motels had the highest occupancy rate of all accommodation types for the month at 64%, while the national occupancy rate for January was 60%, up from 55% last year.

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