Kiwis spending more on international accommodation

New Zealanders are spending more on hotels, motels, and other accommodation overseas, Stats NZ said today.

Household expenditure on accommodation services increased by 40.1 percent from the year ended June 2016 to $30 per week. Most of this is for overseas accommodation pre-paid in New Zealand. Accommodation services includes all expenditure on accommodation except those included with flights packages.

“We’re seeing households spending more money on overseas accommodation booked in New Zealand before they travel,” wealth and expenditure statistics manager Emily Shrosbree said.

“The increase in spending on a place to stay overseas coincides with a big rise in the number of New Zealand residents travelling overseas.”

In 2016, New Zealanders took about 2.5 million trips during the year ended 30 June, rising to more than 3 million in the same 2019 period.

Spending on accommodation services contributed to a general increase in household weekly expenditure on recreation and culture, which rose by 12.9 percent to $130 in the three years since the year ended 30 June 2016. Spending in this area is a growing proportion of household expenditure, now accounting for 9.4 percent of total gross weekly expenditure (up from 8.8 percent in 2016).

“Spending on recreation and culture reflects what kiwis choose to do in their spare time,” Miss Shrosbree said.

“It includes things like books, music, sports equipment, toys and hobbies, and services like buying tickets to a rugby game or booking accommodation for a weekend away.”

While spending in recreation and culture increased on average, there was variation in the actual amount spent by household demographics. For example, renters had significantly lower expenditure on recreation and culture than the national average, while couples living alone spent more than the average.