Latest Month Commentary:
Monthly Destination Performance Report
Data for May 2024, marking the end of autumn, presented a positive outlook for tourism on the West Coast. Both international and domestic visitor card spending increased, aligning with growth in employment in select tourism-related industries. The accommodation sector remained stable compared to May '23.
International visitor spending on the West Coast increased significantly by +20% compared to May ‘23 (YoY), alongside a +8% increase in accommodation usage by international visitors. This growth in international guest nights roughly mirrors the increase in border arrivals by international passport holders (+6% vs. May ‘23).
The grown influx of international guests appears to have stimulated job creation and growth in earnings in industries directly catering to tourists. Specifically, "Transport Services" experienced the most substantial growth in both filled jobs (+14% vs. May ‘23) and earnings (+34% vs. May ‘23) from tourism-related employment, highlighting increased use and spending in this industry. In alignment with this trend, "Other Passenger Transport" products exhibited the strongest growth in card spending by both international and domestic visitors.
Spending on "Cultural, Recreation, and Gambling Services" experienced the second-largest growth among domestic visitors, while "Other Tourism Products" ranked second in spending growth within the international market.
Domestic visitor spending in the West Coast also increased significantly by +16% YoY despite a slight decrease in domestic guest nights by -5% YoY. This suggests that the West Coast may be attracting more domestic visitors on day trips.
Westland District emerged as the focal point for having the highest guest arrivals (21.7k out of 39.1k), guest nights (36.7k out of 67.9k) and number of active establishments (70 out of 136) highlighting its dominance in the West Coast’s accommodation space.
While Westland District maintained its leading position, Grey District showed the highest growth, with guest arrivals up by +20% and guest nights increasing by +13% compared to May ‘23.
Daily short-term rental occupancies were consistently low throughout May 2024, as expected during the off-season, ranging around 30% to 40%, with a peak occupancy rate of 51% observed on the 4th.