Accommodation Survey: December 2008

Total guest nights

Total guest nights in short-term commercial accommodation were 3.1 million in the December 2008 month, a 3 percent decrease compared with December 2007 and a 2 percent decrease compared with December 2006.

For the 2008 year, total guest nights were 32.9 million, a similar total to the previous year. Guest nights for 2007 were 4 percent higher than in 2006.

The trend in total guest nights has been decreasing since October 2007, after increasing since January 2006. The trend level is now 4 percent lower than the peak in October 2007, but is still 3 percent higher than the previous low point in January 2006. 
 

Guest nights by island

Guest nights in the North Island were 1.8 million in December 2008, a 2 percent decrease compared with both December 2007 and December 2006.

For the 2008 year, guest nights in the North Island were 19.1 million, a similar total to 2007.

The trend for North Island guest nights has been decreasing since November 2007, after increasing since January 2006. The trend level is now 5 percent lower than the November 2007 peak, but is still 3 percent higher than the previous low point in January 2006. 

Guest nights in the South Island were 1.4 million in December 2008, a 4 percent decrease compared with December 2007 and a 3 percent decrease compared with December 2006.

For the 2008 year, guest nights in the South Island were 13.8 million, a similar total to 2007.

The trend for South Island guest nights has been decreasing since September 2007. The trend level is now 4 percent lower than the September 2007 peak.

 

Guest nights by region

In December 2008, nine of the 12 regions recorded fewer guest nights than in December 2007, with the following regions showing the largest decreases:

• Bay of Plenty (down 25,000 or 7 percent)
• Canterbury (down 20,000 or 4 percent)
• Northland (down 19,000 or 9 percent)
• Otago (down 17,000 or 4 percent).

The Waikato region had the largest increase, up 15,000 or 5 percent.

For the December 2008 year, seven of the 12 regions recorded fewer guest nights than in 2007, with the following regions showing the largest decreases:

• Otago (down 112,000 or 3 percent)
• Bay of Plenty (down 93,000 or 3 percent)
• Waikato (down 86,000 or 3 percent)
• Northland (down 75,000 or 4 percent).

The regions that showed the largest increases in annual guest nights were:

• Wellington (up 135,000 or 5 percent)
• Canterbury (up 128,000 or 2 percent)
• Auckland (up 98,000 or 2 percent).

Comparison with short-term overseas visitor arrival statistics

International Travel and Migration: December 2008  shows that short-term overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand in December 2008 were up 4,900 (2 percent) from December 2007. This fall follows a decrease of 9,500 (4 percent) in November 2008 compared with November 2007.

There were more visitors on holiday (up 4,600 or 3 percent) and visiting friends and relatives (up 3,800 or 3 percent) in December 2008 compared with December 2007, while there were fewer visitors on business (down 3,500 or 19 percent).

New Zealand resident short-term departures for December 2008 were down 12,400 (6 percent) from December 2007. This follows a decrease of 4,300 (3 percent) in November 2008 compared with November 2007.

Origin of guests

International visitors contributed 1.4 million guest nights in December 2008, down 73,000 or 5 percent from December 2007. Eight of the 12 regions showed decreases in international guest nights, led by:

• Auckland (down 23,000 or 9 percent)
• Bay of Plenty (down 14,000 or 11 percent)
• Northland (down 13,000 or 15 percent).

Hawke's Bay/Gisborne showed the largest increase in international guest nights, up 6,000 or 16 percent.

In December 2008, domestic guest nights were 1.8 million, down 18,000 or 1 percent from December 2007. Nine of the 12 regions showed decreases in domestic guest nights, led by:

• Bay of Plenty (down 11,000 or 5 percent)
• Hawke's Bay/Gisborne (down 10,000 or 8 percent)
• Canterbury (down 10,000 or 4 percent).

The Auckland region showed the largest increase in domestic guest nights, up 28,000 or 12 percent. 

For the 2008 year, international guest nights were 42 percent of the total guest nights. The West Coast (61 percent), Otago (57 percent) and Southland (56 percent) were the only regions to show a higher proportion of international guest nights than domestic guest nights.

Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui (81 percent), Hawke's Bay/Gisborne (76 percent) and Waikato (72 percent) showed the highest proportion of domestic guest nights in the 2008 year.

In December 2008, there was a response rate of 71 percent to the Accommodation Survey question on 'origin of guests'. In December 2007, there was a response rate of 65 percent to the question on 'origin of guests'. Figures for those establishments that failed to respond have been imputed and such high levels of imputation can affect data quality, including comparisons between different months.

Guest nights by accommodation type

In December 2008, guest nights decreased for all five accommodation types compared with December 2007. Motels had the largest decrease, down 62,000 (6 percent), followed by caravan parks/camping grounds, down 14,000 (2 percent). The decrease in motels contributed more than two-thirds of the decrease in total guest nights.

In December 2008, motels had the largest share of total guest nights (29 percent), followed by caravan parks/camping grounds and hotels (both with 28 percent).

For the December 2008 year, three of the five accommodation types recorded more guest nights than in 2007. Hotels recorded the largest increase, up 383,000 (4 percent) followed by caravan parks/camping grounds, up 60,000 (1 percent). Motels recorded the largest decrease in guest nights, down 448,000 (4 percent).

Hotels also recorded the largest share of total guest nights (33 percent) for the 2008 year, followed by motels (32 percent) and caravan parks/camping grounds (20 percent). In 2007, motels had recorded the largest share of total guest nights (33 percent).

Occupancy rate

In December 2008, the occupancy rate, excluding caravan parks/camping grounds, was 48 percent, compared with 50 percent in December 2007.

Accommodation capacity, excluding caravan parks/camping grounds, was 3 percent above the December 2007 level.

Hotels had the highest occupancy rate (50 percent) of all the accommodation types in December 2008, followed by motels (48 percent) and backpackers/hostels (46 percent).

Excluding the caravan parks/camping grounds category, the Auckland region had the highest occupancy rate (57 percent) in December 2008, followed by Wellington (50 percent). 

Response rates

When respondents do not answer questions in this survey, Statistics New Zealand estimates the missing information based on data from similar establishments in the same and/or similar areas. For more information, please see the technical notes of this release or contact Statistics New Zealand.

Survey sponsorship

The Accommodation Survey is a monthly survey undertaken by Statistics New Zealand and sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism.

For technical information contact:
Christine Sadler or Tehseen Islam
Christchurch 03 964 8700
Email: info@stats.govt.nz

Next release ...

Accommodation Survey: January 2009 will be released on 12 March 2009.