New Zealand Hostels Feeling the Pinch

Hostels feeling the pinch:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4759066a34.html?source=RSStravel_20081113

Statistics New Zealand figures released yesterday show the country's backpacker numbers were down 28,000 guest nights in September from a year ago a 9 per cent drop.

...

[Nigel Levick of Dunedin's Manor House International Backpackers] said his backpackers, which has been going for 18 years, had some regulars who kept the numbers up through winter. "But I'm anticipating we would be down by 10% to 15%. It's tough because costs will have gone up too.

...

Meanwhile, New Zealand motels are down 77,000 guest nights, or 9%, on September last year.

The areas worst affected by the downturn in short-term visitor numbers in the South Island were the West Coast (down 8.4%) and Otago (down 7.4%). There was a drop in visitor arrivals of 11,000 in September from the previous year.