China drives growth in visitor arrivals

China drives growth in visitor arrivals

22 June 2015

Visitor arrivals to New Zealand numbered 176,700 in May 2015, up 10 percent on May 2014, Statistics New Zealand said today. This was driven by more visitors from China.

"The number of visitors from China increased 45 percent in May 2015 compared with May 2014," population statistics manager Vina Cullum said. "Most of this increase was from Chinese holidaymakers."

Visitor arrivals in the May 2015 year (2.98 million) were up 7 percent from the May 2014 year. The biggest increase was in visitor arrivals from China (up 70,200), particularly for holidays (up 55,200).

More New Zealand residents visiting Australia

New Zealand-resident travellers departed on 209,400 overseas trips in May 2015, up 6 percent from May 2014. The biggest increase was in trips to Australia, up 3,700 for the May month and 43,300 for the May year, compared with 2014.

Monthly net gain in migrants from Australia

New Zealand had a seasonally adjusted net gain (more arrivals than departures) of 5,100 migrants in May 2015. Net migration has been fluctuating around this level for the last nine months, recently peaking at 5,500 in January 2015.

This was the second month in a row that New Zealand has had a seasonally adjusted net gain of 100 migrants from Australia. Before April 2015 there had not been a net gain in migrants from Australia in over 20 years (since 1991).

Annual permanent and long-term migration showed a record net gain of 57,800 migrants in the May 2015 year. Annual net migration has been setting new records for the last 10 months.

In the May 2015 year, New Zealand had the smallest annual net loss of migrants to Australia since 1992. This was due to increased arrivals of both New Zealand and non-New Zealand citizens, and fewer New Zealand citizen departures to Australia.

See the International Travel and Migration: May 2015 Commentary and Tables for more information.

For more information about these statistics:
• Visit International Travel and Migration: May 2015

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