Increase in visitor arrivals driven by China

Increase in visitor arrivals driven by China

21 December 2015

Visitor arrivals to New Zealand numbered 300,500 in November 2015, up 11 percent from November 2014, Statistics New Zealand said today. The biggest increase was in visitors from China, up 9,600 (35 percent) from November last year.

"Visitors arriving from China were mainly holidaymakers," population statistics manager Vina Cullum said. "Most of these visitors were from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong."

In the November 2015 year, visitor arrivals reached a record 3.09 million, up 9 percent from the previous year. Australia contributed 1.32 million visitors, China 344,900, and the United States 240,000.

New Zealand residents head for Australia and Fiji

New Zealand residents took 182,400 overseas trips in November 2015, up 3 percent from November 2014. Australia and Fiji were the main destinations for travellers, with trips to Australia increasing 3 percent compared with November 2014.

New Zealand residents took a record 2.39 million overseas trips in the November 2015 year, up 6 percent. Almost half of the trips were to Australia.

Migration continues to break records

Seasonally adjusted figures showed a record net gain (more arrivals than departures) of 6,300 migrants in November 2015. Net migration has been regularly breaking records since August 2014, when it surpassed the previous highest-ever net gain of 4,700 (February 2003).

New Zealand had its 16th consecutive record annual net gain of migrants in the November 2015 year (63,700). It resulted from 120,900 migrant arrivals (a record high) and 57,200 migrant departures. An annual net gain of migrants from Australia resulted from fewer New Zealand citizen departures and more New Zealand and non-New Zealand citizen arrivals.

Of the migrant arrivals in the November 2015 year:

• 25,100 were from Australia, with two-thirds being New Zealand citizens

• 14,500 were from India, with three-quarters having student visas

• 13,400 were from the United Kingdom, with about 80 percent having work visas or New Zealand citizenship

• 10,900 were from China, with just under half having student visas.

See the International Travel and Migration: November 2015 commentary and tables for more information.

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