A week after announcing it would stop collecting data for its Commercial Accommodation Monitor, Stats NZ released its first set of data about the economic impact of the home-sharing sector in New Zealand.
The new report revealed insights into peer-to-peer accommodation services like Airbnb and Bookabach, a data set that is notably absent from the Commercial Accommodation Monitor.
Firstly, Stats NZ revealed the estimated size of the accommodation-sharing economy in New Zealand to be $550 million in gross revenue, with approximately 8.8 million guests for the year ended March 2018.
Stats NZ reported that in 2013, accommodation-sharing accounted for 6 percent of the accommodation industry’s total revenue and accounted for 8 percent of guest nights. By 2018, accommodation-sharing was estimated to make up 12 percent of accommodation revenue, and 18.1 percent of guest nights.
The data for the total accommodation guest nights most clearly shows the growth of accommodation sharing properties. The accommodation survey showed 39.9 million commercial guest nights in the year ending March 2018.
Stats NZ however estimates there were 8.1 million accommodation-sharing guest nights, which would bring the total accommodation industry guest nights closer to 48.7 million. It also shows that accommodation-sharing likely accounts for just over 18 percent of guest nights in New Zealand.
The contribution to GDP also showed similar growth patterns. As of 2013, the economic impact was estimated at $106 million and by March 2018 it had almost tripled, reaching $299 million.
Airbnb was happy to see the new data.
“This report confirms our own data which shows home sharing is a massive benefit to New Zealand’s tourism industry and economy,” said Brent Thomas, head of public policy, Australia and New Zealand.
“Home sharing now accounts for nearly one in five guest nights, which indicates just how important the sector is to New Zealand tourism.”
Charlie Ives, executive officer, of Regional Tourism New Zealand also welcomed the new research but wished there was more information regarding the regions.
“On the one hand we’ve got Statistics NZ filling a gap with valuable information about a part of the industry we need to understand, while on the other, MBIE is not prepared to continue providing the only data that gives us insights into both domestic and international commercial visitor stay nights,” said Ives.
“Every indication is that ‘peer-to-peer’ accommodation is giving a boost to the regions that don’t have major accommodation infrastructure, by offering alternative places for visitors to stay. Research to understand how that impacts the regions, now and in the future, would be enormously helpful for the industry and its funders.”
