Fewer visitors to Rotorua in September

Rotorua visitor nights in September were down on last year, despite a 26.6 per cent rise in international figures thanks to the Rugby World Cup.

Destination Rotorua Marketing acting general manager Tania Bui said the 10.2 per cent overall decline in visitor nights compared with September last year was "pretty much what we expected" following feedback.

"What was interesting to see was how that matched what was going on in the rest of the country. It was not unique to Rotorua."

Of the top six tourism regions, only Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin experienced overall visitor growth for the month, with Rotorua's 10.2 per cent drop joined by Canterbury's 30.8 per cent fall and Queenstown's 9.2 per cent decline.

Bui described Rotorua's 26.6 per cent lift in international nights as a "hollow win" for the district, given that domestic visitor nights dropped off by 34.2 per cent as New Zealanders stayed at home. She said the Rugby World Cup did not bring the huge boost many had hoped for, but the exposure it gave New Zealand would continue to benefit the industry in the medium to long term.

In September, activity and attraction numbers dropped 1.7 per cent overall, which Bui said reflected the narrow focus and tight schedules of Cup visitors.

Many had not researched destinations before travelling and Bui said, even if they arrived in Rotorua and were impressed by how much there was to do, they probably needed to leave within 24 hours to get to their next destination and game.

Rotorua Holiday Accommodation Parks Association of New Zealand spokesman David Adams, of the Rotorua Top 10 Holiday Park, said the tournament had been very good for his industry through September and October.

"I think that had quite a bit to do with the marketing by the campervan companies."

Adams said the convenience of combining accommodation and transport appealed to a lot of people who were travelling around the country and did not want to be constantly packing and unpacking at each stop.

Airport marketing manager Rhys Arrowsmith described the Cup as fantastic, with inbound and outbound international passenger numbers climbing throughout the tournament.

"We have also seen a steady increase in Australian residents making up the numbers. World Cup fans in their team shirts made it very easy to identify who and why they were here."

INTERNATIONAL VISITOR ARRIVALS

Total international visitor arrivals in New Zealand showed increased numbers coming from rugby countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, but figures from more tourist-orientated countries, such as Korea, Japan and Germany, decreased.

UK - up 126.8 per cent to 19,456.

Canada - up 75 per cent to 3696.

Australia - up 10.1 per cent to 105,792.

Korea - down 37.7 per cent to 2672.

Japan - down 13 per cent to 4784.

Germany - down 5.3 per cent.

THE ROTORUA NUMBERS

For September 2011, compared with September 2010

Visitor nights: 116,493 - down 10.2 per cent.

Domestic nights: 51,804 - down 34.2 per cent.

International nights: 64,689 - up 26.6 per cent.

Average stay: 1.75 nights - up from 1.71.

Occupancy: 36.2 per cent of 183,120 available units.

By accommodation sector

Hotels

Nights: 42,510 - down 24.9 per cent.

percentage of all accommodation: 37.

Occupancy: 46.1 per cent.

Motels

Nights: 37,814 - down 12.3 per cent.

percentage of all accommodation: 32.

Occupancy: 43.3 per cent.

Holiday Parks

Nights: 20,646 - up 17.1 per cent.

percentage of all accommodation: 18.

Occupancy: 17 per cent.

Backpackers

Nights: 15,523 - up 25.1 per cent.

percentage of all accommodation: 13.

Occupancy: 44.4 per cent.

Private Accommodation

Nights: 84,381 - down 6.7 per cent.

Domestic: 57,946 - down 15 per cent.

International: 26,435 - up 18.8 per cent.

Attractions and activities

Total visits: 129,754 - down 1.7 per cent.

Domestic visits: 38,222 - down 19.5 per cent.

International visits: 91,532 - up 8.3 per cent