Total guest nights
Total guest nights in short-term commercial accommodation were 2.5 million in October 2008, a 4 percent increase compared with October 2007 and a 3 percent increase compared with October 2006. This increase in guest nights follows decreases in five of the previous six months when compared with the same month the previous year.
In 2008, the third-term school holidays continued later into October than in 2007, but the exact effect cannot be measured.
The trend in total guest nights has been decreasing since November 2007, after increasing from February 2006. The trend level is now 2 percent lower than the recent peak in November 2007, but is 4 percent higher than the most recent low point in January 2006.
Guest nights by island
Guest nights in the North Island were 1.6 million in October 2008, a 7 percent increase compared with October 2007 and a 4 percent increase compared with October 2006.
The trend for North Island guest nights has been decreasing since November 2007, after increasing from February 2006. The trend level is now 5 percent lower than the November 2007 peak, but is 2 percent higher than the most recent low point in January 2006.
Guest nights in the South Island were 1.0 million in October 2008, a 1 percent increase compared with both October 2007 and 2006.
The trend for South Island guest nights has been gradually decreasing since the series peaked in August 2007 and is now 2 percent lower than this high point.
Guest nights by region
In October 2008, nine of the 12 regions recorded more guest nights than in October 2007, with the following regions showing the largest increases:
- Wellington (up 33,000 or 16 percent)
- Auckland (up 25,000 or 6 percent)
- Taranaki, Manawatu-Wanganui (up 21,000 or 16 percent)
- Waikato (up 17,000 or 8 percent).
Comparison with short-term overseas visitor arrival statistics
International Travel and Migration: October 2008 shows that short-term overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand in October 2008 were down 6,000 (3 percent) from October 2007. This fall followed a decrease of 11,100 (7 percent) in September 2008 compared with September 2007.
More visitors came to visit friends and relatives (up 3,800 or 8 percent) in October 2008 compared with October 2007, while fewer visitors were on holiday (down 8,300 or 9 percent) and on business (down 2,100 or 9 percent).
New Zealand resident short-term departures for October 2008 were up 7,800 (5 percent) from October 2007. This fall followed a decrease of 16,400 (8 percent) in September 2008 compared with September 2007.
Origin of guests
International visitors contributed 0.9 million guest nights in October 2008, down 114,000 or 11 percent from October 2007. The regions with the largest decreases in international guest nights were:
- Auckland (down 32,000 or 14 percent)
- Bay of Plenty (down 30,000 or 28 percent).
International guest nights were down 11 percent in the North Island and down 10 percent in the South Island.
In October 2008, domestic guest nights were 1.6 million, up 217,000 or 16 percent from October 2007. The regions showing the largest increases were:
- Auckland (up 57,000 or 25 percent)
- Canterbury (up 32,000 or 15 percent).
Domestic guest nights were 63 percent of total guest nights in October 2008. In the North Island, domestic guest nights contributed 69 percent of its total. In the South Island, domestic guest nights were 54 percent of its total. Ten of the 12 regions had more domestic than international guest nights, with the West Coast and Otago being the exceptions.
In October 2008, there was a response rate of 71 percent to the Accommodation Survey question on 'origin of guests'. In October 2007, there was a response rate of 54 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 October 2008, guest nights for four of the five accommodation types increased compared with October 2007. Hotels had the largest increase, up 48,000 (6 percent), followed by caravan parks/camping grounds, up 40,000 (11 percent). Motels increased 10,000 (1 percent), following four consecutive months in which motel guest nights decreased compared with the same month of the previous year.
In October 2008, hotels had the largest share of total guest nights (35 percent), followed by motels (34 percent) and caravan parks/camping grounds (16 percent).
Occupancy rate
In October 2008, the occupancy rate, excluding caravan parks/camping grounds, was 47 percent, compared with 46 percent in October 2007.
Accommodation capacity, excluding caravan parks/camping grounds, was 3 percent above the October 2007 level.
Hotels had the highest occupancy rate (55 percent) of all the accommodation types in October 2008, followed by motels (50 percent) and backpackers/hostels (36 percent). Hotels generally have the highest occupancy rate in October months.
Excluding the caravan parks/camping grounds category, the Auckland region had the highest occupancy rate (61 percent) in October 2008, followed by Wellington (60 percent), and Bay of Plenty (52 percent). The occupancy rate, excluding caravan parks/camping grounds, was below 50 percent for all other regions.
Revision to September 2008 'Origin of guest' data
An error in the split of international and domestic guest nights for September 2008 has been corrected. The total guest nights number is not affected. The revision affects domestic and international guest nights.
| Changes to September 2008 Data |
| |
Published on 12 November 2008 |
Published on 11 December 2008 |
Change |
| Total domestic guest nights |
1,281,850 |
1,388,480 |
+106,630 |
| Total international guest nights |
885,050 |
778,410 |
-106,640 |
| Domestic guest nights share of total guest nights |
59% |
64% |
+5 percentage points |
| Domestic guest nights share of North Island guest nights |
65% |
71% |
+6 percentage points |
| Domestic guest nights share of South Island guest nights |
50% |
54% |
+4 percentage points |
Origin of guest data in the pivot tables has also been revised for some regional tourism organisations (RTOs). The Ministry of Tourism and affected RTOs have been advised. A notice was also placed on the Statistics New Zealand website. We apologise for any inconvenience this revision may cause.
Response rates
| Response rates by accommodation type for October2008 |
| Accommodation type |
Establishments responding to questions on guest nights, guest arrivals and stay unit nights |
Proportion of guest-night estimate from actual data |
Proportion of origin-of-guest estimate from actual data |
| Percentage |
| Hotels |
80 |
92 |
82 |
| Motels |
78 |
82 |
66 |
| Hosted |
83 |
86 |
72 |
| Backpackers/hostels |
79 |
80 |
58 |
| Caravan parks/camping grounds |
81 |
84 |
70 |
| Total |
79 |
86 |
71 |
When respondents do not answer questions in the Accommodation 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 refer to the Technical notes of this release or contact Statistics NZ.
Survey sponsorship
The Accommodation Survey is a monthly survey undertaken by Statistics NZ and sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism.
For technical information contact:
Brylee Wayman or Tehseen Islam
Christchurch 03 964 8700
Email: info@stats.govt.nz
Next release ...
Accommodation Survey: November 2008 will be released on 21 January 2009