Visitor numbers up, but New Zealand guest nights down

Record numbers of overseas visitors failed to prevent a fall in guest nights spent in New Zealand commercial accommodation in September, figures from the government statistics agency showed Tuesday.

Guest nights in total were down 2.2 percent in September, following a rise of 1.4 percent in August, with domestic guest nights down 1.8 percent and international guest nights down 3.2 percent, according to Statistics New Zealand.

Despite the fall, the trend for guest nights remained at a record high level, industry and labor statistics manager Blair Cardno said in a statement.

With tourism being one of the country's pillar industries, the government's tourism agency has been investing heavily in campaigns to encourage foreign visitors to stay longer in the country.

Visitor arrivals totaled 191,100 in September, up 12,000 year on year, with the biggest rises in arrivals from China and Australia.