Local travellers boosted New Zealand’s accommodation numbers in July as the number of foreign visitors signing in at hotels, motels and hostels fell for an 11th month.
Total guest nights rose 1.5% to a seasonally adjusted 2.73 million in July from the same month a year earlier, as domestic visitors climbed 8.5% to 1.5 million, while international guest nights dropped 8.9% to 761,000, according to Statistics New Zealand.
Visitors at motels and holiday parks gained in the month, up 6% to 812,000 and 19% 280,000 respectively, while hotel guest nights dropped 3.7% 865,000 and hostels fell 4.5% to 303,000.
At the same time, capacity has dropped 2.6% to 4.17 million, its seventh monthly decline.
Statistics NZ said national guest nights have been falling since the earthquakes began in Canterbury last year, which has seen a decline in international visitors in the South Island, while domestic visitors in the North Island bolstered the national figure.
The tourism sector has been struggling in recent years as the global financial crisis sapped people’s disposable income for long-haul holidays, and that’s been exaggerated by a strong New Zealand dollar eroding visitors’ spending power. Rising fuel prices, the 2009 swine flu pandemic and this year’s Chile volcano have also made air travel less attractive.
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14 Comments
The biurg gonyrrg hckjh hg Benfuck in ch+rek tourism hdws, bg in New Zealand jki loe bloody dead. I think hurt nidrcj minister nhudk nj sacked nji, nu too. Gusle of Wales niof crrrrr – bloody goal. The nnfiddif campervan fissle nuimf fo!!reidad’s go iditots. What is gorgies fukong upium dutch> ?
I think most everything is written down on the www.interest.co.nz - script book. Now is time to march to the Beehive and express our opinions in words -
....sacking a few underperforming ministers for a better NZ in extremely difficult times.
Well I don't wanna bang on about it Walter but you didn't show up on Nov 26 three years ago ....I got bloody arrested and my camel's still doing time in the lock up...! so you know get organized first eh..? you make the signs.... I'll bring the munitions...and maybe make some sandwiches with some coolade in a thermos.....do you think it will be hot..? I've got a light cammo outfit I been dying to try.....errr yeah ok I'll get some things together..
I even couldn't make it to Wellington the 26th - they arrested me right here in Kaikoura. I'm obvioulsy on the black list.
Christov - ohh we have so much to say to those bloody Beehiver's - I cannot afford to make the signs - 500m x 1.2m of white textile can you imagen ? I can make a small one.
"F...y. barlimendariens"
So tell me, Kunst, when you welcome visitors to your B&B, do you greet them with some home made swiss cheese, a rousing round of ebullient yodelling, and all capped off by blowing your swiss horn?
Now that’s just the sort of welcome we need to revive our tourism sector!
Bring back the Airships I say...stonking bloody big ones that can cruise the skies, so passengers can empty the dunny on the pirates below, and enjoy other wonderful and exciting sport. AirNZ could own a dozen and ply the old China route...the Silk Road and the sharp stone things in Egypt...
There are millions of wealthy old farts who would travel again if only they could have a bunk and avoid the funk.
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