Accommodation Survey: February 2009

Total guest nights

Total guest nights in short-term commercial accommodation were 3.3 million in February 2009, an 8 percent decrease compared with February 2008 and a 5 percent decrease compared with February 2007. The 2008 calendar year was a leap year with the extra day in February 2008 falling on a Friday.

The trend in total guest nights has been decreasing since October 2007. The trend level is now 5 percent lower than the peak in October 2007, but is still 1 percent higher than in the previous low point in January 2006.

Guest nights by island

Guest nights in the North Island were 1.8 million in February 2009, a 7 percent decrease compared with February 2008 and a 4 percent decrease compared with February 2007.

The trend for North Island guest nights has been decreasing since November 2007. The trend level is now 5 percent lower than the November 2007 peak, but is still 2 percent higher than the previous low point in January 2006.

 

Guest nights in the South Island were 1.5 million in February 2009, an 8 percent decrease compared with February 2008 and a 5 percent decrease compared with February 2007.

The trend for South Island guest nights has been decreasing since September 2007. The trend level is now 5 percent lower than the September 2007 peak.

 

Guest nights by region

In February 2009, all 12 regions recorded fewer guest nights than in February 2008, with the following regions showing the largest decreases:

• Otago (down 49,000 or 10 percent)
• Auckland (down 43,000 or 8 percent)
• Bay of Plenty (down 36,000 or 11 percent).

This is the first month since June 2006 in which all 12 regions have recorded fewer guest nights than in the same month of the previous year. On that occasion, the June 2005 figures had been boosted by the British and Irish Lions rugby tour.

Comparison with short-term overseas visitor arrival statistics

International Travel and Migration: February 2009 shows that short-term overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand in February 2009 were down 24,000 (9 percent) from February 2008. This follows a decrease of 9,500 (4 percent) in January 2009 compared with January 2008.

There were fewer visitors on holiday (down 18,300 or 12 percent) in February 2009 compared with February 2008, and there were fewer visiting friends and relatives (down 2,300 or 3 percent). There were also fewer visitors on business (down 2,700 or 11 percent).

New Zealand resident short-term departures for February 2009 were down 11,200 (10 percent) from February 2008. This follows a decrease of 6,100 (5 percent) in January 2009 compared with January 2008.

Origin of guests

International visitors contributed 1.6 million guest nights in February 2009, down 236,000 or 13 percent from February 2008. Eleven of the 12 regions showed decreases in international guest nights, led by:

• Otago (down 56,000 or 18 percent)
• Auckland (down 51,000 or 16 percent)
• Bay of Plenty (down 33,000 or 21 percent).

Hawke's Bay/Gisborne was the only region to show an increase in international guest nights, up 1,000 (3 percent). 

 

 

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In February 2009, domestic guest nights were 1.7 million, down 40,000 (2 percent) from February 2008. Nine of the 12 regions showed decreases in domestic guest nights, led by:

• Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman (down 12,000 or 8 percent)
• Wellington (down 10,000 or 6 percent)
• Canterbury (down 8,000 or 3 percent)
• Waikato (down 8,000 or 5 percent).

The Auckland region showed the largest increase in domestic guest nights, up 8,000 (3 percent).

In February 2009, there was a response rate of 71 percent to the Accommodation Survey question on 'origin of guests'. In February 2008, the response rate was 66 percent. 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 February 2009, guest nights decreased for all five accommodation types compared with February 2008. The accommodation types showing the largest decreases were:

• Motels, down 109,000 (10 percent)
• Hotels, down 102,000 (9 percent)
• Caravan parks/camping grounds, down 42,000 (5 percent).

In February 2009, motels and hotels had the largest share of total guest nights (each with 31 percent), followed by caravan parks/camping grounds (22 percent).

Occupancy rate

February is traditionally the peak month for occupancy rates each year. In February 2009, the occupancy rate, excluding caravan parks/camping grounds, was 62 percent, compared with 66 percent in February 2008. This is the lowest occupancy rate in a February month since February 1999.

Hotels had the highest occupancy rate (68 percent) of all the accommodation types in February 2009, followed by motels (64 percent) and backpackers/hostels (57 percent).

Excluding the caravan parks/camping grounds category, all 12 regions had lower occupancy rates in February 2009 than in February 2008. Auckland had the highest occupancy rate (71 percent), followed by Wellington (68 percent) and Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman (67 percent).

 

Response rates