Visitors up 18 Per Cent

External Migration: April 2000

Visitors up 18 Per Cent

Overseas visitor arrivals numbered 143,680 in April 2000, a jump of 22,130 or 18 per cent compared with April 1999, according to Statistics New Zealand. Australia (up 7,400) contributed a third of this increase and Europe (up 7,260) another third. There were also more visitors from Asia (up 5,170) and Northern America (up 2,240).

For the year ended April 2000 there were 1.674 million visitor arrivals, 151,000 or 10 per cent more than in the same period the previous year. Australia (up 38,780) made the largest contribution, followed by Korea (up 29,760), the United States (22,400), the United Kingdom (up 20,330) and China (up 10,930).

Between March and April 2000 seasonally adjusted visitor arrivals increased by 8 per cent, to reach a new high for the seasonally adjusted series.

In April 2000 New Zealand residents left for 123,640 short-term overseas trips, 29,160 or 31 per cent more than in April 1999. This sharp upturn in departures may be attributed to the combination of Easter and ANZAC day and the school holidays.

During April 2000 permanent and long-term departures exceeded arrivals by 1,890, compared with a net loss of 1,770 in April last year. There were net outflows to Australia (2,430) and Europe (900), but a net gain from Asia (1,240). For the year ended April 2000 there was a net loss of 9,100 migrants, down from the net loss of 10,700 in the previous year. There was a net loss to Australia (25,180 - up from 20,690 in 1999), but net gains from China (4,020), South Africa (2,090), Japan (2,090), India (1,750) and Fiji (1,060).

Paul Brown ACTING DEPUTY GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN END

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