Winter guest night growth improves tourism productivity

Winter guest night growth improves tourism productivity

Consistent growth in guest nights over the last six months shows that the tourism industry’s focus on improving seasonality is having an impact, tourism organisations say.

Figures released today by Statistics New Zealand show guest nights for September were up 6.2% compared with the same month last year. The growth was shared by almost every region and across hotels, motels, backpackers and holiday parks.

The Tourism 2025 growth framework highlights that growing demand outside the traditional peak travel season will improve returns on investment and drive growth.

“Attracting more international and domestic travellers to visit during the quieter months means we can offer better employment opportunities and improve business profitability, paving the way for new investment and expansion,” Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) Chief Executive Chris Roberts says.

TIA hotel sector data for October shows the trend continuing, with almost every region showing occupancy increases and a resulting improvement in profitability, Mr Roberts says.

Holiday Accommodation Parks Association of New Zealand (HAPNZ) Chief Executive Fergus Brown says the new Statistics New Zealand figures show that holiday parks have achieved more than 6.5 million guest nights in the last 12 months – the first time the sector has achieved this figure since December 2008.

“It’s been really good to see this growth occurring over the winter. A challenge for holiday parks in particular is that we have one month a year when we are flat out, and 11 months of opportunity,” Mr Brown says.

“Many regions are now putting a focus on holding events at quieter times to attract visitors. Most holiday parks now offer motel and cabin accommodation in addition to tent and caravan sites, providing year-round accommodation options, he says.

ends

© Scoop Media