This section describes the characteristics of people who were classified as usually living in a hotel, motel, or guest accommodation. The category of ‘hotel, motel, or guest accommodation’ includes dwellings such as backpackers’ hostels, and bed and breakfast accommodation. Some hotels, motels, and guest accommodation offer both short- and long-term accommodation options, and some are aimed at students as well as people travelling. This means that students and seasonal workers can be living in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation.

Data about people who lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation should be interpreted with caution, as there were some issues with identifying and classifying dwellings in this category. For example, some boarding houses can look (or sound) like guest accommodation from their name.

Over 11,000 people live in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation

In 2013, 11,589 people lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation. More than one-third of these people were in the Auckland region (37.0 percent). Within Auckland, half the people in this type of accommodation lived in the Waitemata local board area. This area includes the Auckland central business district and residential suburbs in the inner city.

Higher proportion of people in their 20s living in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation

More than one-quarter of people who lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation were aged 20–29 years (28.5 percent). The proportion of people in their 20s was much higher than in the general population, of whom 12.9 percent were aged 20–29 years. Almost two-thirds of people who lived in this type of dwelling were male (61.1 percent).

Figure 15

Around half the residents of hotels, motels, and guest accommodation born overseas

Around half of the people (49.8 percent) who lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation in 2013 were born overseas. This was quite different to the general New Zealand population – one-quarter (25.2 percent) of whom were born overseas.

People in their 20s who lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation were much more likely to be overseas-born than other people who lived in this type of accommodation, with almost three-quarters of those aged 20–29 years born overseas (71.5 percent).

Table 5

Higher proportion of Asian people living in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation

Of people living in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation in 2013, the percentage who identified with an Asian ethnicity was about twice as high as in the total population.

Most people who lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation identified as European. However, this proportion was lower than the proportion of Europeans in the New Zealand population as a whole (see figure 16).

Figure 16

Hotels, motels, and guest accommodation a short-term option for many

Approximately half of the people who lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation had lived there for less than one year (52.9 percent). The next-most common length of usual residence was one to four years (25.0 percent).

Two-thirds of those living in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation not partnered

Two-thirds of people living in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation in 2013 were not partnered (67.1 percent). A much lower proportion of people were not partnered in the total New Zealand population (39.4 percent). This could be partly due to the younger age structure of the people living in this type of accommodation.

People living in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation more likely to be studying

In 2013, 21.3 percent of people aged 15 years and over who lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation were participating in study (including part-time and full-time study). This was higher than study participation in the general New Zealand population (14.9 percent were studying in 2013).

Study participation was more common amongst young people, and declined as age increased. Table 9 shows that the vast majority of people aged 15–19 years who lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation were participating in study.

Table 6

Almost half the people living in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation working full-time

In 2013, almost half of the people who lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation were working full-time (45.5 percent). This was similar to the general New Zealand population (48.0 percent of whom worked full-time).

A further 12.1 percent of people who lived in this type of accommodation were working part-time. One-third were not in the labour force (ie not employed, but not looking for work). A higher proportion of people living in these dwellings were unemployed, compared with the general New Zealand population (9.4 percent, compared with 4.8 percent for the total population).

People living in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation more likely than total population to be labourers, less likely to be professionals

A high percentage of employed adults (aged 15 years and over) who lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation were employed as labourers, compared with the total population. A lower proportion were employed as professionals.

The most common occupation group for people living in these dwellings – managers, at 22.8 percent – was also under-represented, compared with the proportion of managers in the total population.

Figure 17

Income lower for those living in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation

People who lived in hotels, motels, and guest accommodation were more likely to have a lower personal income than the general New Zealand population. A much lower proportion of people in this type of dwelling had an income of $50,000 or more (15.4 percent) than in the general New Zealand population (26.7 percent).

Figure 18