Guest nights in the South Island fell 6.8% in November, with Otago showing the worst figures.

That compares with a slight increase for the North Island.

The statistics follow a year where the trend for the south has been flat.

The Statistics New Zealand survey records guests staying in hotels, motels, backpacker accommodation, and holiday parks.

There was a fall in ten of the country's twelve regions in November, with Otago down by 7.9%.