Travellers boosting the economy
Travellers' accommodation nights rise as economy stutters in other areas.
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Domestic and international travellers are flooding into hotels, motels, backpackers hostels and holiday parks, boosting occupancy rates for the 21st month in a row.
Total guest nights rose 6.2% to 3.85 million in December from the same month a year earlier.
Domestic guest nights lifted 6.3% to 1.65 million and international nights were up 6% to 1.69 million. On a seasonally adjusted basis, total guest nights rose 1.6% in December, Statistics New Zealand figures reveal.
New Zealand's booming tourism sector made up for subdued household consumption and a moribund primary sector through the latter part of last year, as a falling kiwi dollar made international visitors' spending go further.
Travellers’ nights in the North Island rose 5.1% to 2.2 million and South Island nights were up 7.6% to 1.65 million.
All regions except West Coast reported a lift from December 2014, with Wellington posting the biggest increase of 9.9% to 272,000, followed by Canterbury's 9.7% rise to 546,000 and Otago's 9.3% gain to 588,000 nights.
All four types of accommodation posted increased guest nights from a year earlier, with hotels up 6.2%, motels gaining 5%, backpackers rising 2.7% and holiday parks increasing 9.2%.
Occupancy rates improved from a year earlier, rising to 47.3% from 45% in December 2014, and capacity edged up 0.1% to 4.37 million unit-nights available.
(BusinessDesk)
Paul McBeth
Thu, 11 Feb 2016
Thu, 11 Feb 2016
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
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Travellers boosting the economy
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