Hotel trade lifts as guest nights up 12pc

Barry Mabey says May was an "okay" month.

The hotel sector is reaping the benefits of an increased number of visitor stays.

Statistics New Zealand's May Accommodation Survey revealed Rotorua guest nights were up 12.4 per cent on May 2014.

The survey records the number of guests staying in hotels, motels, backpacker accommodation, and holiday parks in New Zealand each month. Each guest night is equivalent to one guest spending one night at an establishment.

But the growth is from the higher-end of accommodation, with a 10 per cent total increase in hotel occupancy rates for Tourism Industry Association hotels.

Tourism Industry Association chief executive Chris Roberts said this was a "significant increase".

"May 2014 had an occupancy rate of 62 per cent. This year May had a 72 per cent occupancy rate.

"May was influenced by Trenz, but that was only a five-day event. It was definitely a good month for hotels - that type of increase is quite significant."

Rotorua Association of Motels president and Pohutu Lodge owner Barry Mabey said events like the Rotorua Marathon bolstered numbers, but May was not any different to previous years for the motel sector.

"We had the marathon and other things going on. It was okay, it wasn't exceptional. May is normally a reasonably good month - the marathon usually fills up one weekend."

Rotorua Central Backpackers owner Catherine Mcdonaldcrt said they were always busy.

"We were busy last year and we were busy this year, but I don't think May was particularly big. We had 979 stays last May compared to 957 this May."

The Statistics New Zealand survey also showed domestic nights spent in Rotorua's commercial accommodation increased 9.1 per cent, compared to a 2.3 per cent rise nationally.

Meanwhile, visits to Rotorua's attraction and activities sites were up 29,400 to 166,300 - a 21.4 per cent year-on-year increase.

Destination Rotorua marketing general manager Oscar Nathan said there was an increase in domestic and Chinese visitors, with 18 per cent more Aucklanders visiting Rotorua's attractions and activities this May than last, while visits by Chinese tourists were up 56 per cent.

Nationally, guest nights were up 5.5 per cent year-on-year.

Rotorua's May visitors

May 2015 guest nights up 12.4 per cent on May 2014.

Domestic nights increased 9.1 per cent, compared to a 2.3 per cent rise nationally.