Looks like 2010 is off to a pretty good start for New Zealand's North and South Islands, as Statistics New Zealand reports some encouraging numbers for the nation's hotels. On Monday, May 10, Statistics New Zealand said that the number of guest nights in short-term commercial accommodations in the country neared 3.3 million in March. This measures an increase of 2 percent from the same period last year.
Both international and domestic travelers contribued to the boost. Nights for international guests were up 3 percent compard to the same period last year while domestic guests nights increased by 2 percent.
Most regions of New Zealand felt the increase, albeit lightly in some areas. North Island guest nights increased to 1.8 million in March, 1 percent year-on-year increase, while South Island guest nights were up 4 percent to 1.4 million. Nine of the 12 regions registered an increase in overnight stays in March, with Otago, Bay of Plenty and Canterbury leading the way.