New Zealand’s accommodation market is booming, with NZ’s top 20 destinations reporting a 5 percent increase in accommodation rates in 2017, and high occupancy continuing to put pressure on supply across the board.
According to the latest Hotel Price Index from Hotels.com, the average price paid per night for accommodation by international holiday-makers at the top 20 New Zealand destinations increased to $185 per night in 2017. Despite a whopping 27 percent increase in price over the last three years, Auckland once again topped the popularity charts for international travellers.
Napier saw the most significant increase with 14 percent, followed closely by Lake Tekapo, Tauranga and Picton on nine percent. Of the top 50 most popular destinations, international travellers threw down the most cash on Waiheke Island, paying $323 per night compared to $295 in 2016. Scenic beauties Mount Cook, Queenstown and Arrowtown all followed closely behind, ranging in price from $292- $276.
Those visitors looking to explore beyond the major cities got more bang for their buck with Wanganui, National Park Village, Westport and Waitomo Caves coming in as the cheapest destinations to spend the night.
Kiwi’s love of travel was undeniable in 2017; residents departed on 2.7 million trips overseas, up 11 percent on 2016’s record-breaking year. Luxe destinations were of particular appeal, with 10 out of the 20 least affordable destinations appearing on the list. The United States dominated the list, highlighting that price wasn’t enough to keep tourists away. Of the least affordable destinations, New York was the most expensive at $353 per night, followed by Honolulu and San Francisco.
New Zealander’s continued to squeeze more juice out of their holiday dollars in South East Asia with the region recording 16 of the top 20 lowest averages paid per night. Phnom Penh and Chiang Mai were the winners of the cheapest rooms coming in at $68 and $70 respectively.
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