Real estate experts from Savills have highlighted opportunity for property developers and accommodation operators in Christchurch as visitation and population growth rise.
With the addition of a new convention centre two years ago and a new, 30,000-seat indoor stadium under construction and scheduled to open in April 2026, Christchurch is anticipating an influx of visitors for larger sporting events and concerts.
“We are focusing on a range of strategic hotel developments in the central city,” said Savills’ Director of Commercial Sales and Hotels in Christchurch, Norman Engel.
“With a three- to five-year construction timeline for a new build, some developments have been underway for some time and are planned to coincide with the opening of the stadium.
“In 2020 to 2021 the number of guest nights in summer was approximately 150,000 per month, while in 2023 and 2024 we are seeing that monthly figure frequently breaching the 300,000 mark.
“Christchurch’s 2024 summer was a stunner, setting record occupancy rates post-pandemic, and the projection is that 2025 will likewise have very high occupancy levels and drive international and national interest in hotel developments in Christchurch.
“We know there are nights the whole central city is filling up – anecdotally a Savills client who visited from Singapore for a weekend found the city was fully booked upon arrival and had to stay in an Airbnb 45 minutes out of town.”
Christchurch’s population growth is also a key driver of activity, with newly released data from the 2023 Census showing greater Christchurch’s population grew nearly 10% between 2018 and 2023, substantially more than the nationwide growth of 6.3% over the same period.
“Christchurch is experiencing unquestionable momentum,” said Savills’ executive for commercial sales in Christchurch, Martin Hebler.
“In my view it is New Zealand’s most modern, liveable, and convenient city. Even with inflation, workers can still enjoy discretionary spending because of high-end and corporate salaries versus affordable rents.
“The economics of Christchurch are working, and the city is a drawcard, as evidenced in the latest population statistics. All this makes the city a place to invest, which is why we are seeing such strong transactions here despite the general national downturn.”
Hebler says a move by the previous government to apply GST to platforms such as Airbnb and Uber from April 1 is having a positive effect on the whole accommodation sector
“It puts everything on an even keel and gives power back to hotel and motel operators which are employing staff and generally investing in the sector and in the cities and communities where they operate,” he said.
“Importantly, as well as being required to charge and pay GST, anyone operating an Airbnb facility now needs consent to do so, which brings more transparency and fairness to the sector.”