More visitors from the United States and Japan
23 June 2014
Visitor arrivals to New Zealand reached a high of 161,400 in May 2014, partly due to more visitors from the United
States and Japan, Statistics New Zealand said today.
"Visitor arrivals are higher than they have ever been for a May month," population statistics project manager Susan
Hollows said. "Holidaymakers arriving from the United States and Japan contributed to the increase in visitors in May."
In the May 2014 year, visitor arrivals numbered 2.78 million, up 6 percent from the May 2013 year. New Zealand's top
four sources of visitors were Australia, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
New Zealand residents departed on 198,200 overseas trips in May 2014, up 9 percent from May 2013. Over the year, New
Zealand residents took 2.23 million trips, up 3 percent from last year.
Net gain of migrants falls slightly in May
New Zealand had a seasonally adjusted net gain (more arrivals than departures) of 4,000 migrants in May 2014, just below
the 4,100 net gain recorded in April 2014. The highest net gain of migrants ever recorded was in February 2003 (4,700).
Net migration has been positive and mostly increasing since September 2012. The difference in the net gains recorded in
September 2012 and May 2014 was mainly due to:
• fewer New Zealand citizens leaving for Australia (down 2,000)
• more non-New Zealand citizens arriving (up 1,300)
• more New Zealand citizens arriving from Australia (up 600).
The seasonally adjusted net loss of 200 migrants to Australia in May 2014 matched the loss recorded in April 2014. These
were the lowest monthly losses since the series began in 1996. To provide a longer period of comparison, we will release
extended seasonally adjusted data back to 1982 with the next International Travel and Migration release on 21 July 2014.
Data will be extended for variables including Australia (country of last or next permanent residence), New Zealand
citizens, and non-New Zealand citizens.
In the May 2014 year, migrant arrivals numbered 99,900 (up 14 percent from 2013), and migrant departures numbered 63,500
(down 22 percent). This resulted in a net gain of 36,400 migrants, the highest annual gain since the November 2003 year
(36,700). New Zealand recorded its highest-ever net gain of 42,500 migrants in the May 2003 year.
In the latest year, New Zealand had a net loss of 9,700 migrants to Australia, well down from 32,900 a year earlier. Net
gains were recorded from most other countries, led by India (6,600), China (6,300), and the United Kingdom (5,700).
For more information about these statistics: Visit International Travel and Migration: May 2014
ENDS