Guest nights up 21pc 'welcome trend'

Dave Hill

More people splashed out on Wanganui accommodation in June, according to the latest figures.

The latest Statistics New Zealand Accommodation Survey revealed guest nights were up 21.4 per cent from June 2013 in Wanganui, from 8176 to 9925.

The average length of stay was 1.80 days, up from 1.73 days last year.

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.

Destination Whanganui Providers Chairman Dave Hill said the increase of guest nights in June had continued a growth trend, following increases in April and May.

"The rise in guest nights for three consecutive months was a welcome trend but must be taken in the context that it is a recovery trend and is still well down on the big numbers that were generated back in 2009 and beyond.

"An example is that in 2009 around 200,000 guest nights were recorded in Wanganui each year.

"Now it is running at around 170,000."

Thirty thousand less guest nights a year had resulted in the "20-odd" accommodation establishments losing at least three million dollars a year in takings, he said.

Mr Hill said this had a flow on effect for restaurants, retail and tourist operators.