More visitors from Australia in July

23 August 2018

More visitors arrived from Australia in July compared with the same month in 2017, Stats NZ said today.

The increase in visitors from Australia in July coincided with the ski season in New Zealand. It also brought the total number of visitors to New Zealand in July 2018 to 250,500, up 3,600 from July 2017.

Total visitor numbers were up 1.4 percent from the same month last year with the biggest changes from:
• Australia up 3,600 to 122,000
• United Kingdom down 2,800 to 8,300
• United States up 900 to 16,200.

“The drop from the UK reflects the continuing effects seen last month, reversing the boost seen in 2017 as a result of the Lions rugby tour,” population insights senior manager Brooke Theyers said.

Ski season sparks surge in holidaymakers

Holidaymaking was the most popular travel purpose in July 2018, up 4,000 to 122,100 from July 2017.

Australia led the increase in holidaymakers, up 3,800 to 57, 500. This coincided with the ski season in New Zealand, some big South Island ski fields opening earlier than usual, and their recent promotional efforts across the Tasman.

There were 51,100 visitors from Australia who flew into Queenstown and Christchurch airports in July, compared with 48,400 in July last year.

Annual visitor numbers up 3.6 percent

Visitor arrivals for the year ended July 2018 were up 3.6 percent (133,200) to 3.79 million. By region, New Zealand had the most number of visitors from Oceania (dominated by Australia) at 1.64 million (up 22,700). Changes in the number of visitor arrivals from other regions were:

• Asia up 98,300 to 1.03 million, led by China (up 47,800)
• Europe down 10,900 to 560,900, led by the United Kingdom (down 14,000)
• Americas up 27,900 to 471,500, led by the United States (up 14,600)
• Africa and the Middle East up 1,100 to 50,700, led by Saudi Arabia (up 400).

The Government Statistician authorises all statistics and data we publish.

For more information about these statistics:

• Visit International visitor arrivals to New Zealand: July 2018
ends

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