Visitor arrivals a record high for July

Visitor arrivals a record high for July

21 August 2017 In July 2017, 246,900 overseas visitors arrived in New Zealand, setting a new July record, Stats NZ said today. This was 4 percent more visitors than in July 2016. Almost half of all visitor arrivals in July 2017 were people coming to New Zealand for holidays.

Visitor arrivals numbered 3.7 million in the July 2017 year, a new annual record. The 9 percent increase from the July 2016 year was mostly due to 189,100 (11 percent) more holidaymakers in the last 12 months.

“The number of holidaymaker arrivals in New Zealand has been steadily increasing since 2011,” population statistics senior manager Peter Dolan said. “More holidaymakers from Australia, United States, and the UK boosted visitor arrival numbers in the last 12 months. This included a spike in arrivals from the UK in June for the British and Irish Lions rugby tour.”

In the July 2017 year, a record breaking 1.9 million people arrived in New Zealand for holidays. This is almost double the number in the July 2002 year, when the number of holidaymakers reached 1 million for the first time.

New Zealanders take a record number of overseas trips in July

Kiwis made a record 302,400 trips overseas in July 2017, up 9 percent from July 2016.

“More trips to Australia, China, and the United Kingdom were the biggest changes in July this year,” Mr Dolan said. “Holidays accounted for almost half of all New Zealand resident departures in July 2017.”

New Zealand residents took a record 2.77 million overseas trips in the July 2017 year, up 11 percent from the July 2016 year. This increase of 279,400 trips was driven by residents departing for Australia, United States, and China.

Short-term travellers or migrants?

International migration statistics rely on the information provided on passenger cards at the time of travel. The reported intended length of stay in New Zealand, or intended time away from New Zealand, largely determines whether the passenger is a short-term traveller or a migrant. Generally, visitor arrivals and resident departures are those intending to stay or be away for less than one year; migrants are those intending to stay or be away for one year or more.

See also:

• International Travel and Migration: July 2017 – for more data and analysis

• Annual net gain in migrants reaches a record 72,400 – media release.

ENDS

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