Record Chinese arrivals boost November tourism numbers
Long-term arrival and departure figures show net migration levels are slowing.
November was a good month for tourism, with monthly and annual numbers both up 3%, thanks to increased visitors from China and Korea.
"Arrivals from China – at 14,900, up 3800 – were a record for a November month," Population Statistics manager Bridget Hamilton-Seymour says.
"However, the increase in visitors from Korea – up 3800 to 6200 – was only a partial recovery, with levels still less than half the November record of 14,100 in 1996."
The numbers coming from Korea now exceed those of Germany to become the sixth-highest source of visitors to New Zealand, a position it lost after the May 2009 year.
They also offset the drop in visitors from the UK. The numbers fell 3300 over the year to 21,200 last month, the lowest number of visitor arrivals from the UK for a November month since 2001.
Migration slows
New Zealand residents departed on 2% more short-term trips than in November 2009. Trips to Australia increased 2900 to reach 79,500, just below the November month high of 81,900 in 2007.
In the year ended November 2010, there were 4% more short-term departures of New Zealand residents than in the previous November year.
Seasonally adjusted net permanent and long-term migration (arrivals minus departures) was 600 in November 2010, unchanged from October 2010. This is lower than the September 2010 figure of 1000 but above the recent low of 200 in June 2010.
Unadjusted permanent and long-term departures to Australia numbered 2900 in November 2010, up from 2000 in November 2009.
However, the latest figure is still below the recent November month peak of 3500 departures to Australia in 2008.
Net migration in the November 2010 year was 11,500, down from 20,000 the previous year, and similar to the average annual net migration gain of 11,900 over the past 20 years (ended December 1990–2009).
NBR staff
Tue, 21 Dec 2010
Tue, 21 Dec 2010
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Record Chinese arrivals boost November tourism numbers
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