May record in guest nights

Published:

In May this year, Norwegian hotels registered 2 million guest nights, a new record for the month of May. This equals a 9.5 per cent increase compared to May the previous year.

Written by: Guro Henriksen

The accommodation statistics registered 2.7 million guest nights in May 2019. Norwegian guest nights at accommodation establishments increased by 3 per cent compared to May in 2018. The hotels accounted for the entire increase. While the hotels guest nights increased by 173,000, nights spent at campsites and holiday dwellings collectively decreased by 96,000.

Figure 1. Accommodation. Guest nights, by type of accommodation, May

Hotels May 2018 Hotels May 2019 Camping sites May 2018 Camping sites May 2019 Holiday Dwellings May 2018 Holiday Dwellings May 2019
Norwegian 1308688 1444697 540375 463016 57911 54793
Foreign 519715 556707 105996 102394 93994 82520

Solid month for hotels

During May, there were 2 million guest nights at Norwegian hotels, a solid 9.5 per cent increase from last year. Both Norwegian and foreign guest nights increased, by 10.4 and 7.1 per cent respectively. Simultaneously, occupational, recreational and conference guest nights increased.

Of the 173,000 increase in hotels guest nights, Oslo was the main contributor with 65,000 more hotels guest nights in May this year compared to May the previous year. Oslo was followed by Rogaland and Hordaland, which also had a strong growth in hotels guest nights. The counties Vest-Agder and Østfold experienced a decline.

Figure 2. Percentage change in guest nights at hotels by county from May 2018 – May 2019

ØSTFOLD -5.3
AKERSHUS 8.1
OSLO 16.0
HEDMARK 0.4
OPPLAND 1.3
BUSKERUD 9.0
VESTFOLD 15.8
TELEMARK 13.1
AUST-AGDER 7.3
VEST-AGDER -15.3
ROGALAND 20.2
HORDALAND 10.2
SOGN OG FJORDANE 7.2
MØRE OG ROMSDAL 4.1
TRØNDELAG 4.9
NORDLAND 8.2
TROMS 1.8
FINNMARK 18.1
SVALBARD 17.7
Figure 2. Percentage change in guest nights at hotels by county from May 2018 – May 2019
ØSTFOLD -5.3
AKERSHUS 8.1
OSLO 16.0
HEDMARK 0.4
OPPLAND 1.3
BUSKERUD 9.0
VESTFOLD 15.8
TELEMARK 13.1
AUST-AGDER 7.3
VEST-AGDER -15.3
ROGALAND 20.2
HORDALAND 10.2
SOGN OG FJORDANE 7.2
MØRE OG ROMSDAL 4.1
TRØNDELAG 4.9
NORDLAND 8.2
TROMS 1.8
FINNMARK 18.1
SVALBARD 17.7

Camping sites declined

The guest nights at camping sites decreased by 81,000 in May this year compared to the same month the previous year. Both Norwegian and foreign guest nights decreased. The decrease may be related that May this year was wetter and colder than May in 2018. Another reason may be that Pentecost was in May in 2018 and in June in 2019.

Figure 3. Guest nights at camping sites in May

May 2014 May 2015 May 2016 May 2017 May 2018 May 2019
Foreign guest nights 71397 75562 74955 89300 105996 102394
Norwegian guest nights 568967 579107 574072 465697 540375 463016

Decrease at holiday dwellings

  • 137,000 guest nights in May 2019
  • 9.6 per cent decrease since May 2018
  • Norwegian guest nights decreased by 5.4 per cent
  • Foreign guest nights decreased by 12 per cent

Even more to Svalbard

  • 16,000 guest nights in May 2019
  • 18 per cent increase since May 2018
  • Norwegian guest nights increased by 13 per cent
  • Foreign guest nights increased by 24 per cent

 

Contact