New research has confirmed that Christchurch and the surrounding Selwyn and Waimakariri districts can host around 39,200 visitors a night in commercial accommodation.
The research, commissioned by ChristchurchNZ and carried out by Fresh Info, was undertaken to better understand accommodation availability in the region ahead of several large-scale events in 2026, including the opening of One New Zealand Stadium.
Accommodation capacity across the region includes space for 6,928 people in hotels, 4,984 in motels, 1,945 in backpacker lodges, 8,912 in holiday parks and hosted bed and breakfast accommodation, and 16,435 in peer-to-peer accommodation such as Airbnb and holiday homes.
That peer-to-peer capacity is spread across 3,863 listings and includes 9,839 individual beds.
Christchurch city accounts for around 32,000 of the total accommodation capacity, while Selwyn and Waimakariri can collectively accommodate around 7,200 visitors.
The research also examined how major events affect visitor numbers and accommodation prices.
Electric Avenue 2025 generated an estimated 62,902 visitor nights, with an average stay of 2.97 nights. The Supercars Championship, scheduled for April 17 to 19, 2026, is projected to generate approximately 38,000 visitor nights over three days.
ChristchurchNZ General Manager of Destination and Attraction Loren Aberhart said the data would assist event organisers and local agencies in planning for upcoming events.
“With the opening of One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha, Christchurch has the opportunity to host a range of large events,” Aberhart said.
“This data shows our city has the capacity to accommodate large numbers of visitors. It also shows that while accommodation pricing does increase around events, most price changes are moderate. In addition, local residents continue to support events by hosting friends and family.”
The research showed that during most events, around 60 percent of visitors stayed in commercial accommodation, with the remaining 40 percent staying with friends or relatives.
Data also showed that hotel prices increased during large events, though not to the extent often reported anecdotally. Hotel prices rose by $20 to $36 per night during Electric Avenue 2024, by $48 to $69 during SailGP 2024, and by $69 to $71 during Electric Avenue 2025, compared to the weeks before and after each event. These figures exclude GST.
Fresh Info Managing Director Shane Vuletich said the report is the first of its kind in New Zealand and would assist with event planning and accommodation forecasting.
“It will help Christchurch assess peak periods and accommodation surges, and inform decisions around the timing of future events,” Vuletich said.
“It also provides useful data for event promoters and potential hotel investors about the city’s ability to manage high visitor numbers.”
ChristchurchNZ is the city’s economic development and profile agency. It is involved in supporting and bidding for major events such as Electric Avenue, SailGP and the Supercars Championship.
