Travellers boosting the economy
Travellers' accommodation nights rise as economy stutters in other areas.
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
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Travellers boosting the economy
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