10 December 2008 - The election of the new Government seems to have already had a positive effect on confidence in at least one sector of the New Zealand tourism industry.

The Motel Association of New Zealand says online accommodation bookings through its website in November increased by a record 31% ahead of the previous best month, January, and were a mammoth 83% ahead of November last year.

And Chief Executive Michael Baines believes he knows why - election results.

"The figures showed a big rise immediately after Barak Obama was elected President of the United States.

"Don't ask me why that would be, but that's the only event of significance that coincides with the first significant rise.

"Then there was another jump immediately after the change of government in New Zealand and John Key was elected Prime Minister, "That has continued with bookings from early December 27% ahead of the same time last year.

"I'm sure part of it reflects a change in the way people are booking accommodation.

"But I also think people were holding off making bookings until they knew the outcome of the election. And when a new Government promising more tax cuts next year won, then petrol prices started dropping in a big way, I think people had a lot more confidence to go out and spend more."