Fuel costs keeping day trippers at home

Higher petrol prices are being blamed for a 12.5 per cent drop in the number of day trips New Zealanders are taking.

Ministry of Tourism figures for the year to March 2008 show the number of day trips taken has fallen from 29.8 million to 26.2 million. Overnight trips were also down 2.2 per cent resulting in a 2.7 per cent drop in total spending by domestic tourists, down from $7.6 billion to $7.4 billion.

Fewer people are taking holiday and business trips.

Ministry of Tourism head of research Bruce Bassett said the slowdown in domestic travel was in response to the weaker economy and higher costs - particularly for fuel.