Cracker January for accommodation sector

GOOD MONTH: The accommodation sector enjoyed a good month in January with hotels and holiday parks doing particularly well.

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Hotels and holiday parks enjoyed a bumper January with the overall accommodation sector handling a record 4.4 million guest nights in the month, with a strong rebound in foreign tourist numbers.

Overnight stays in commercial accommodation were up 4 per cent in January compared with the same month last year, Statistics New Zealand said.

At 4.4 million, guest night numbers were the highest recorded since the survey began in July 1996. January is traditionally the peak month for guest nights.

In January 2010, international guest nights were 8 per cent higher and domestic guest nights were 2 per cent higher than in January 2009. While there was a big jump in overseas visitor numbers this year, the January numbers were similar to January 2008.

All four accommodation types had more guest nights in January 2010 with hotels and holiday parks showing the largest increases.

The survey records guests staying in hotels, motels, backpackers, and holiday parks in New Zealand each month.

- © Fairfax NZ News