New Zealand hotel prices have increased nine percent in the first half of the year, well above the global average of just one percent.

The largest increase was in Auckland which shot up 16 percent to $171 dollars per night.

Hotel.com's Kath Cole said the increases are encouraging for the tourism industry.

"The New Zealand hotel industry experienced a strong performance in the first half of the year and this was largely due to the substantial increase in the number of international visitors."

Queenstown still proves to be one of the more expensive places to stay.

It now costs an average of $226 dollars a night after a 14 percent increase meaning that it's cheaper to stay in Paris.