Holidaymakers from China push up visitor arrivals

Holidaymakers from China push up visitor arrivals

19 December 2014

Visitor arrivals to New Zealand were up 8 percent in November 2014 (270,400), compared with November 2013, Statistics New Zealand said today. The biggest increase was from China, up almost 50 percent from 2013.

"China is the second-biggest source country for visitors to New Zealand," population statistics manager Vina Cullum said. "In November 2014 there were 8,800 more visitor arrivals from China than in November 2013, and most were holidaymakers."

In the November 2014 year, total visitor arrivals numbered 2.84 million, up 5 percent from the November 2013 year. The biggest increases were from Australia, China, and the United States.

New Zealand resident travellers departed on 177,800 overseas trips in November 2014, up 4 percent from November 2013. This is the highest-ever number of New Zealand traveller departures for a November month. More trips were taken to Australia and the United States this November, compared with the same month last year.

In the November 2014 year, New Zealand travellers departed on 2.26 million overseas trips, up 3 percent from the previous year.

Net inflow of 5,000 migrants in November

New Zealand had a seasonally adjusted net gain (more arrivals than departures) of 5,000 migrants in November 2014. This is the second-highest net gain ever recorded – just below the net gain of 5,200 recorded in October 2014. Before 2014, the last peak was in February 2003 (4,700).

Monthly net gains increased over the last year, mainly due to more arrivals of non-New Zealand citizens.

In the November 2014 year, New Zealand recorded its highest-ever net gain of 49,800 migrants.

Migrant arrivals (108,800) reached a new high in the November 2014 year. The annual increase was led by more student arrivals, particularly from India, and more New Zealand citizens arriving from Australia.

The fall in migrant departures was primarily due to fewer departures of New Zealand citizens to Australia (down 12,700), compared with the November 2013 year. The net loss of 4,500 people to Australia in the November 2014 year was the smallest since the July 1994 year (4,200).

For more information about these statistics:
• Visit International Travel and Migration: November 2014

ends

© Scoop Media