1 Mar 2010

Record visitor numbers recorded in January

7:17 pm on 1 March 2010

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of people visiting New Zealand.

More people visited in the first month of this year than in any other January on record, according to Statistics New Zealand.

There were 265,700 short -term arrivals, an increase of 5% on the same month a year earlier. This was due mainly to a large increase in Australian visitors off-setting a drop in the number from China.

Tourism New Zealand believes the recent increase in short-term visitors to this country is a trend that is likely to continue.

It says that has been a bonus for the industry and the figures are likely to stay healthy in the next few months as it begins promotions in countries such as North America.

There were 2.41 million visitors to New Zealand in the year to January, up 1% on the previous year.

It is the first time in more than a 18 months that visitor arrivals have increased, but the total is still down on the record of 2.5 million visitors that arrived in the year to March 2008.

Annual migration up

Annual migration is now at its highest level since May 2004.

Statistics New Zealand figures show the country gained 22,600 migrants in the year to January, once departures were taken into account, with increasing numbers of people from Britain, India and China.

BNZ Capital senior economist Craig Ebert says the results are being driven by fewer people leaving New Zealand shores on a long-term basis and he thinks the numbers are close to peaking.

The Real Estate Institute believes the population gain is helping to keep the housing market buoyant. President Peter McDonald says that is increasing demand and expects the pattern to continue.