Otago accommodation providers are leading a nationwide increase in the sale of guest nights in short-term commercial accommodation, Statistics New Zealand figures show.
Statistics New Zealand statistician Geoff Bascand said guest nights in July 2009 were up 3% nationwide, compared with July 2008.
The Statistics New Zealand July 2009 Accommodation Survey showed Otago leads the charge with 29,000 (8%) more guest nights, followed by Auckland, up 26,000 (6%), Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui, up 10,000 (7%), and Waikato, up 10,000 (6%).
"This is only the second month this year that guest nights have increased when compared with the same month last year," he said.
Otago's statistics were boosted by increased numbers in Queenstown, which were driven by 22,000 (10%) more international guest nights compared with July 2008.
The region showing the largest decrease was Bay of Plenty, down 8000 (4%).
Nationwide, domestic guest night numbers were up 4%, and international visitors contributed 0.8 million guest nights in July 2009 - up 15,000 (2%) from July 2008.
In July 2009, four of the five accommodation types had more guest nights than in July 2008.
The largest increases were recorded by hotels, which were up 63,000 (8%), and motels, up 5000 (1%).
Hosted accommodation recorded the only decrease, down 1000 (4%).
Otago Motel Association president and Bluestone on George motel owner Neville Butcher said the statistics were encouraging.
He said July had been a bad month for Dunedin motel owners and believed numbers were down 5-10% on the same time last year.
