Hotels and motels are getting a boost from foreign visitors, with record-high guest nights for August this year, Statistics NZ reports.

National guest nights for August 2016 were 6.4 per cent higher than in August 2015.

"A surge in international visitor arrivals provided most of the upward impetus this month," says business indicators senior manager Neil Kelly.

"Most guest-night series are at record highs for this last August.”

For August 2016, compared with August 2015:

*International guest nights were up 13.4 per cent, and domestic guest nights were up 2.5 per cent.

*North Island guest nights were up 9.2 per cent, and South Island guest nights were up 2.3 per cent.

*11 of the 12 regional areas had more guest nights.

*Three of the four accommodation types had more guest nights.

For the year ended August 2016, national guest nights were up 6.1 per cent from August 2015.

The Accommodation Survey collects data for guests staying in hotels, motels, backpacker accommodation, and holiday parks in New Zealand each month.

Private accommodation is excluded.