Hotel stays increase

Hotels had an increase of 34,000 guest nights. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Overnight stays in hotels rose 4 per cent in July from the year before - the only accommodation type to record growth, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said yesterday.

While hotels had an increase of 34,000 guest nights, motels were down 17,000, backpackers were down 7000 and holiday parks were down 5000.

International guest nights rose 2 per cent in July 2010 compared with July 2009, while domestic guest nights were down 1 per cent. As a result, total guest nights in July were similar to July last year, up 0.2 per cent at 2.2 million.

SNZ said the trend in total guest nights has been decreasing since October 2009, but appeared to have flattened.

Four of the 12 regions recorded a rise in guest nights. Auckland guest nights dropped 1.1 per cent (5000 guests).