Accommodation

Online property management firm Seekom has launched a new website to help travellers find pet-friendly accommodation in all regions across the country.

The Bed and Breakfast Association of New Zealand is hosting a nationwide roadshow to encourage B&B operators to connect with industry and guests.

The value of building work in the accommodation sector dropped 20% to the year ending March 2022, down to just under $972m, down from $1.2bn the year prior.

The 13.9-hectare property includes five self-contained suites in a configuration of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units.

The Accommodation Association says it is partnering with Fastrack Digital’s hotel and accommodation event, Maximum Occupancy, to help rebuild the industry.

Hospitality New Zealand is welcoming proposed changes to consents for short-term visitor accommodation in residential areas in Christchurch but is calling for rules on building consents to be added.

Owen River Lodge has become the first NZ accommodation provider to achieve the B Corp certification.

The value of building consents issued for hotels, motels and other short term accommodation for the month of January was $17m, a decline of ??% from the same month last year.

A new refundable bookings system introduced to support New Zealand’s tourism sector has seen strong uptake by both businesses and travellers, says Tomahawk.

Accommodation bookings for Waitangi weekend are up 65% for some regions over the previous year, according to Bachcare.

Bookings for accommodation on the Bachcare platform for the month of January are 17% higher than at the same point in 2020, the company says.

The eight-week trans-Tasman bubble pause has prompted a surge in accommodation bookings from Kiwis, according to Bachcare.

New Pinnacle Tower addition at hotel set to open October.

QT Auckland aims to revamp winter offerings with new staff.

Lease with Quest signed for 43-room hotel.

The Refundable Bookings service allows full refunds to guests and accommodation providers to retain payments.

Card sales for accommodation services were down $81m, or 29%, compared with January 2020.

Direct bookings via STAAH climbed up globally from the number six spot to number three, beating some of the top online channels.

Stats NZ domestic card spending data for December reveals a sluggish start to summer for the accommodation sector.

Spending at accommodation merchants through the Paymark network fell by 30% in 2020 compared to the previous year, according to the electronic card payments processor.

Nationwide spend across the accommodation sector through Paymark in July 2020 was 10.9% below the same month last year.

The initiative aimed to bring business back to partners in New Zealand, inspire travellers and drive support for local businesses, said the OTA.

“Visitor accommodation has been particularly affected by Covid-19.”

Tourism marketing agency Tomahawk has launched a new website that lists accommodation options for people who need to self-isolate due to Covid-19.

Quest is offering up to 500 rooms for essential workers and returning travellers to use for self-isolation during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has contracted 25 motels to provide immediate housing to the homeless in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Queenstown Lakes District Council is asking holiday home owners spending lock down in the district to provide information on how many people are staying at their property.

The Bed & Breakfast Association has compiled relevant official information to help small bed and breakfast operators suffering through the Covid-19 pandemic.

The guidelines provide advice to accommodation suppliers taking self-isolation guests or essential workers.

The deadline for domestic travel for those trying to get home has also been extended.

Queenstown Lakes District Council has compiled a list of accommodation providers who are happy to cater for domestic and international visitors who need to self-isolate during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The data could be back by mid-2020, filling a big insight gap in the industry.

People have one week left to share their views on rules to be included in the Christchurch District Plan to manage the homeshare accommodation.

Following the signing of a joint venture with EVENT, JUCY’s CEO tells the Ticker what his plans are for the new entity.

YHA New Zealand has chosen the TravelDesk booking platform to streamline travel sales.

The Heritage Collection Waitakere Estate is leaving the Heritage Hotels group, which it joined in 2011, and rebranding after 30 years.

Scenic Hotel Group is set to launch its new premium brand, Legacy Collection, with the two-year overhaul of Scenic Hotel Auckland.

An award-winning waterfront eco-lodge in the Marlborough Sounds is on the market for sale.

The Harvest Lodge Motel in Havelock North has been sold to well-known local property investor Graeme Fowler.

Touch of Spice has unveiled its latest addition of luxury accommodation under its Residence Collection, Dancing on Moonlight in Christchurch.

Bachcare says it has co-operated fully with the Commerce Commission’s investigation into manipulating online reviews posted by users of its accommodation.

Airbnb plans to continue to add market share in New Zealand, according to its head of public affairs, Brett Thomas.

The ministry outlines the major gaps it wants filled in a new, improved accommodation survey.

Experimental government research that has unveiled the value of New Zealand’s peer-to-peer accommodation sector has been welcomed as “helpful”, but risks having limited value, says the TIA.

Could a new dataset using cellphone tracking help inform an enhanced accommodation survey?

Stats NZ is pulling its monthly survey of hotels, motels, backpackers and holiday parks.

Spend on accommodation fell 4.7% in the three months to March 2019, offsetting overall retail spend growth in the summer quarter according to Stats NZ.

Bachcare’s Lesley Preston on building an iconic kiwi business, organic growth versus acquisitions and the opportunities that come with an international backer.

Airbnb has launched its premium accommodation offer, Airbnb Plus, in New Zealand.

Motels’ loss of market share to Airbnb is “concerning”, says Horwath HTL’s Hamilton.