Queenstown hits record guest nights for April

Thursday, 13 June 2013, 4:52 pm
Press Release: Destination Queenstown

Media release from Destination Queenstown
12 June 2013

Queenstown hits record guest nights for April

Statistics New Zealand’s latest research reveals that Queenstown’s guest nights hit an all time high in April 2013 compared with the same month last year.

According to the April 2013 Commercial Accommodation Monitor (CAM), total guest nights were up 5.1 percent to 219,001 compared with April 2012, boosted by strong international numbers.

International guest nights increased by 11.2 percent to 137,957 - an extra 13,886 guest nights for the month - accounting for 63 percent of all guest nights to the region. Domestic guest nights eased back 3.9 percent to 81,044.

The CAM also revealed that hotels were the best performing sector - up 13.1 percent - with average occupancy of 66.4 percent, 11.2 percent higher than last April.

A full year comparison ending April 2013 showed a 7.4 percent overall guest night increase in the region.

Destination Queenstown CEO Graham Budd said the results were very pleasing and continued a run of good growth in recent months.

“Our international visitor numbers are excellent and the small decline in domestic visitor nights reflects the earlier timing of the Easter weekend this year which was at the end of March rather than April.

“March domestic nights were 7.8% ahead of 2012, so overall we’ve still had good domestic growth through this important holiday period.

“We’re steadily seeing the autumn season grow as more people discover what a fantastic time of year it is to visit.”

The April 2013 Commercial Accommodation Monitor report for Queenstown is available on the Destination Queenstown website: http://www.queenstownnz.co.nz/Media/Statistics2_md/.

* Commercial guest nights are defined as one guest staying for one night in the resort.

ENDS

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