Holiday Park Visitors spending increases

Holiday Park Visitors spending increases

Visitors to New Zealand’s holiday parks are spending more than they used to – an average of just over $98 per person each day.

According to new research carried out for the Holiday Accommodation Parks Assn (HAPNZ), each New Zealand visitor to a holiday park spends nearly $75 each day, while international travellers spend more than $160 a day.

The total spend per trip has also increased, particularly among international visitors who are staying longer and spending more than they did when previous research was carried out over the 2006-07 peak season.

“This updated research provides a valuable insight into the economic benefit of holiday park visitors to a local community,” HAPNZ Chief Executive Fergus Brown says.

“The findings show that accommodation is just one part of a holiday park visitor’s expenditure – an average of just under $23 per person per day. In addition to this each visitor is likely to spend over $75 per day on activities, transport, shopping and food and drink.

“It’s also clear that many visitors to holiday parks are not on a tight budget. Some respondents reported that their group spent more than $500 on activities in a 24 hour period, others spent more than $200 eating out and one respondent spent $600 on jewellery.”

The study was completed by independent tourism research specialists Angus & Associates over the peak December 2009 to January 2010 period.

“We are looking to focus on better understanding our markets and the economic contribution made by visitors. It’s clear from this research that both international and domestic visitors to holiday parks during the peak season are extremely valuable to their host communities,” Mr Brown says.

Domestic visitors make up around two thirds of holiday park visitor nights annually and international visitors one third.

Domestic holiday park visitors tend to be frequent visitors to holiday parks and are most likely to be aged 35 or more. They are more likely to be travelling with children and in larger groups than international visitors. At this time of year they tend to have ‘stay put’ holidays, travel by private vehicle and be away from home for 1-2 weeks.

Their expenditure is likely to be very concentrated in one place. Domestic visitors also tend to return to the same spot year after year so, for this group, expenditure is not only concentrated in a region, but also likely to make a contribution to the local economy for many years.

On the other hand, international visitors staying in holiday parks at this time of year are most likely to be from the UK/Europe or Australia. They are younger than their domestic counterparts, and less likely to be travelling with children. They have a relatively long length of stay in New Zealand, move around frequently and use a range of accommodation types during their visit (although approximately 80% of nights are spent in holiday parks). They are most likely to be travelling in a campervan or (to a lesser extent) a rental car.

International visitors tend to spend more during a trip overall. They visit a wide variety of locations on their trip and move to different regions frequently. As such the impact of their expenditure tends to be spread widely throughout New Zealand.

“In terms of the economic benefit to the community in which a holiday park is located, it is clear that visitors are spending money on a wide range of goods and services – not just those that are strictly tourism related. Items mentioned in this research included pharmacy items, newspapers, sunglasses, a jet ski battery, lotto tickets, horse racing, a tent, a fishing rod, visit to doctor, a pen, beach chairs, jewellery, clothes, postcards, toys, DVDs, photo printing, dentist fees, and jandals,” Mr Brown says.

Examples of other data collected follow:

FREQUENCY OF HOLIDAY PARK USE

In this latest study, visitors were asked about how many times they had stayed at the holiday park that they were interviewed at – to determine the level of repeat business on an individual holiday park level. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of international visitors (92%) were staying at the park for the first time. In the domestic market the picture was very different– as illustrated in the chart below. Just under three quarters of the domestic visitors interviewed had stayed at the park previously, just under half (47%) were on at least their fourth visit, and just under one quarter (24%) reported having stayed at the park 11 times or more.

VISITOR INFORMATION AND BOOKING SERVICES

Many holiday parks now offer visitor information and booking services to provide a more comprehensive service to their guests, and as a means of generating additional revenue. Respondents were asked whether they had used this service at the holiday park where the interview took place, and if so, what they had sought information on or booked. The chart below shows that 39% of domestic visitors and 56% of international visitors had used this service.

Information and/or booking for activities and attractions was most commonly sought – but more so by international visitors (43%) than domestic visitors (32%). Demand for information and/or bookings for restaurants and cafes was similar in both markets at just over 20%, whilst demand for information and/or bookings for onward accommodation and transport was much higher in the international market.

Information requested by respondents in other areas included directions, weather forecasts and information about local events.

It is clear from this research that holiday parks play a valuable role in referring business to other activities, attractions and retailers in their community and therefore in spreading the economic benefits of tourism.

ENDS

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