Holiday park contribution up to $733 million

Spending by visitors at holiday parks nationally may put up to $733 million into the New Zealand economy each year, research indicates.

About $372 million, or 51%, of the spending was from domestic visitors and the remaining $362 million, or 49%, from international visitors, according to the research carried out by Angus & Associates for the Holiday Parks Association.

New Zealand Holiday Parks generated 6.2 million guest nights a year, from three million guest arrivals. The level of activity represented 20% of all commercial guest nights in New Zealand last year.

While the majority of holiday park guest nights were used by domestic visitors (68%), the international market doubled since the late 1990s, from about 15% of the total in 2012 to 32%.