Accommodation Survey: September 2009

Total guest nights

Total guest nights in short-term commercial accommodation were 2.2 million in September 2009, a 3 percent increase on September 2008, but a 2 percent decrease compared with September 2007.

The trend has been increasing in 2009, following a period of decline during the 2008 year. The trend level is now 3 percent higher than the previous low in November 2008, but is still 1 percent lower than the peak in December 2007.

 

Guest nights by island

Guest nights in the North Island were 1.3 million in September 2009, a 2 percent increase compared with September 2008, but a 4 percent decrease compared with September 2007.

 

The trend for North Island guest nights began increasing in December 2008, after a period of decline from January 2008. The trend level is now 2 percent higher than the previous low in November 2008, but the rate of increase appears to have been flattening in recent months.  

Guest nights in the South Island were 0.9 million in September 2009, a 4 percent increase compared with September 2008 and almost unchanged from September 2007.

The trend in South Island guest nights has been increasing since December 2008, following a period of decline during the 2008 year. The trend level is 5 percent higher than the previous low in December 2008, and is now 1 percent higher than the recent peak in October 2007.

 

Guest nights by region

Eleven of the 12 regions recorded more guest nights in September 2009 compared with September 2008. The regions showing the largest increases were:

• Otago, up 19,000 (6 percent)
• Canterbury, up 11,000 (3 percent)
• Bay of Plenty, up 10,000 (5 percent).

The only region showing a decrease was Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman, down 2,000 (2 percent).

Comparison with short-term overseas visitor arrival statistics

International Travel and Migration: September 2009 shows that short-term overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand in September 2009 were up 14,700 (9 percent) from September 2008. This follows a decrease of 1,400 (1 percent) in August 2009 compared with August 2008.

In September 2009 compared with September 2008, there were more visitors on holiday, up 11,200 (15 percent), and people visiting friends and relatives, up 4,300 (9 percent), but fewer on business, down 1,300 (7 percent).

New Zealand resident short-term departures for September 2009 were up 1,200 (1 percent) from September 2008. This follows no change in August 2009 compared with August 2008.

Origin of guests

International visitors contributed 0.8 million guest nights in September 2009, an increase of 58,000 (8 percent) from September 2008. These visitors provided 30 percent of total guest nights in the North Island and 48 percent of those in the South Island.

There were 26,000 (7 percent) more international guest nights in the North Island in September 2009 than in September 2008. International guest nights in the South Island were up 32,000 (8 percent) over the same period.

The regions showing the largest increases in international guest nights were:

• Otago, up 18,000 (11 percent)
• Auckland, up 13,000 (8 percent)
• Canterbury, up 10,000 (6 percent).

 Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui recorded the only decrease, down 3,000 (16 percent).

 

Domestic guest nights numbered 1.4 million, an increase of 6,000 (less than 1 percent) from September 2008. 

In September 2009, domestic guest nights in both the North and South Islands were up slightly (less than 1 percent) compared with September 2008.

The regions recording the largest increases in domestic guest nights were:

• Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui, up 9,000 (7 percent)
• Bay of Plenty, up 7,000 (5 percent)
• Waikato, up 4,000 (3 percent).

The largest decreases were:

• Auckland, down 13,000 (5 percent)
• Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman, down 4,000 (6 percent)
• Northland, down 2,000 (3 percent).

   

Guest nights by accommodation type

In September 2009, all four accommodation types had more guest nights than in September 2008:

• Hotels, up 30,000 (4 percent)
• Backpackers, up 16,000 (6 percent)
• Motels, up 16,000 (2 percent)
• Holiday parks, up 2,000 (1 percent).

In September 2009, hotels had the largest share of total guest nights (37 percent), followed by motels (35 percent), holiday parks (15 percent) and backpackers (13 percent).

Occupancy rate

Excluding holiday parks, the occupancy rate in September 2009 was 43 percent, compared with 44 percent in September 2008. Accommodation capacity, excluding holiday parks, was 3 percent above the September 2008 level.

Hotels had the highest occupancy rate (51 percent) of all the accommodation types in September 2009, followed by motels (44 percent), and backpackers (33 percent).

Excluding the holiday parks category, eight of the 12 regions had lower occupancy rates in September 2009 than in September 2008. The regions with the highest occupancy rates were:

• Wellington (55 percent)
• Auckland (54 percent)
• Otago (46 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 or similar regions. For more information, please see the Technical notes of this release or contact Statistics NZ.

Survey change

From the September 2009 survey month, the following changes have been implemented for the Accommodation Survey:

• the 'hosted' accommodation group has been removed from the survey
• regional boundaries have been updated.

We have also updated data for the previous months based on the new regional boundaries and with the 'hosted' accommodation type removed. These updates will allow for continued time series comparison.

Two classifications have been renamed:

• 'backpackers/hostels' has been renamed 'backpackers'
• 'caravan parks/camping grounds' has been renamed 'holiday parks'.

However, the coverage remains unchanged.

These changes are the result of a joint review conducted by Statistics NZ and the Ministry of Tourism, which aimed to balance the need for high quality information against the need to reduce respondent load.

Statistics NZ would like to thank all respondents for participating in the Accommodation Survey. Their commitment and support enables us to produce an accurate picture of the evolving New Zealand economy.

Survey sponsorship

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

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

Next release ...

Accommodation Survey: October 2009 will be released on 11 December 2009.