Tourism groups 'devastated' as Stats NZ and MBIE pull crucial accommodation data

Figures measuring commercial accommodation stays are being ditched. Photo / 123rf

Tourist groups are stunned by Stats NZ's decision to ditch monthly accommodation figures and say the decision could harm the industry.

Stats has announced that the Commercial Accommodation Monitor (CAM) will be stopped from September due to cost pressure.

One tourism industry leader puts the decision down to a dispute between two government agencies.

Regional Tourism NZ says it is ''shocked'' at the news its main source of tourism numbers data is to be scrapped just weeks after the government announced a commitment to better research for the industry.

"It is unbelievable that only weeks after Ministers Kelvin Davis and Eugene Sage announced a strong commitment to improving an understanding of the industry through data, MBIE is ditching a key source of information without offering an immediate replacement," said the organisation's chief executive, Charlie Ives.

His group represents 30 tourism regions and said while the monitor wasn't perfect it has been the only information the industry has on the volume of both domestic and international visitors around the country.

He said the government had said it wanted to deepen understanding of regional tourism.

"Instead they've done the opposite. And what is even more distressing is that a number of tourism industry organisations put considerable resource into supporting a comprehensive review of the CAM in 2015, which came up with some practical, sensible, achievable solutions to improving it.''

Stats NZ said it regularly reviewed surveys to make sure they are cost-effective and meet the needs of users for reliable data, without imposing undue time and effort for businesses completing them.

Deputy Government statistician Denise McGregor said she understands that some groups may be disappointed by the loss of these surveys, because they provided important market updates on their particular sectors.

"But the world is changing rapidly. For example, the accommodation sector has seen the advent of the sharing economy with online holiday-home providers such as Airbnb and Bookabach, which are not represented in the survey.''

Ives said the Government had done nothing to implement recommendations made in 2015 by the industry on better data.

''Instead its sat on its hands for four years, and then announced it is getting rid of the research completely, without an immediate alternative.''

Tourism Industry Aotearoa says the sudden and unexpected removal of key information was hugely disappointing, and the decision needed to be reversed.

Chief executive Chris Roberts put it down to Stats NZ having used a new methodology for calculating what it costs to carry out this and other surveys, and wanting to charge the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment more - something MBIE was not prepared to pay.

''As a result of this dispute between the two government agencies, collection of the data is to cease,'' he said.

But a MBIE spokesman said it was a joint agreement with Stats NZ.

The ministry was working with Stats NZ on a long-term 'robust' alternative to the survey.

Holiday parks have also weighed in, saying they are ''devastated'' by the decision.

The parks account for more than a third (36 per cent) of New Zealand's commercial accommodation capacity, and provide more than eight million guest nights a year to both international and domestic travellers.

Holiday Parks NZ chief executive Fergus Brown said none of his members had been consulted about pulling the data.