Media release
25 March 2014

Record-breaking start to the year for Auckland tourism

Auckland’s tourism industry has experienced its best ever summer month, with record-breaking international visitor arrivals and an unprecedented 93 per cent hotel occupancy rate in February 2014.

Figures just released by Statistics New Zealand show that Auckland welcomed 6.4 per cent more international arrivals in February 2014 at 217,504 compared to February 2013. The biggest increases were in holiday arrivals from Australia, up 18.4 per cent to 22,784, and the United States, up 22.2 per cent to 15,664.

Auckland’s hotel occupancy rate peaked at 93 per cent in February, compared to 87 per cent in February 2013 and well above the national average of 88.6 per cent. The average daily room rate was $164.59, an increase of nearly $15 on the previous year and following four years where the room rate has barely changed.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown says these are the best monthly results ever seen by the region and an excellent example of how Auckland’s visitor economy is continuing to grow.

“We have a very clear vision that we are committed to building Auckland into a great destination. The visitor numbers are in line with targets in the 10-year Auckland Visitor Plan set out to achieve this vision,” he says.

ATEED Chief Executive Brett O’Riley says these results follow a strong month of events and back-up the organisation’s work with international and domestic marketing.

“I have no doubt that Auckland’s national campaigns across Australia with Flight Centre, the inaugural Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines and our domestic marketing campaign – AKL: The Show Never Stops – have all contributed to drawing visitors to Auckland,” says Mr O’Riley.

“Valentine’s weekend was labelled as Auckland’s greatest weekend, with NRL Nines, Lantern Festival and Eminem all attracting huge numbers of visitors. However the hotel occupancy was strong across the whole month, so this wasn’t a one-hit weekend.”

Auckland Chair of the Hotel Sector for TIA New Zealand Rob McIntyre says it is great to see this healthy buoyancy in Auckland’s hotel sector.

“The combination of major events, concerts and strong international and domestic visitation is having a positive impact on driving up room rates and occupancy. February has been a definite highlight, but January was also strong and March is looking to continue the trend,” he says.

Auckland’s excellent start to 2014 will help to support ATEED’s work to grow the overall visitor economy in line with the targets in its 10-year Auckland Visitor Plan.

ATEED – on behalf of Auckland Council – aims to double the contribution from the visitor economy, growing it from $3.33 billion in 2010 to $6 billion annually in 2021.

Ends

Notes to editors:
ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development) is Auckland’s economic growth agency.

© Scoop Media