New Zealand Visitor Arrivals in October 2009

New Zealand's visitor arrivals grew for a second consecutive month in October 2009. Arrivals were up 7.7% for the month of October 2009, almost thirteen and a half thousand more visitors than the same month last year. Overall, for the year ended October, there have been 1% fewer visitors than 2008.

"Australia continues to be the foundation of growth in visitor numbers, with the increase of 22.2% (15,916 visitors) in October continuing a year of record growth for this market. Buoyed by consistent marketing, good value airfares, a strong Australian dollar and high consumer confidence, arrivals from Australia are up 9.7% (1,061,363 visitors) for the year to end of October," said Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton. "The current picture is that many markets will end up on par with last year, but we are expecting to see improving growth trends as the summer progresses, particularly out of China, the US and parts of Europe."

China has begun to return to strength after more than a year of declining arrivals, with arrivals up 16.5% (to a total of 7,636 visitors) compared with October last year. This increase coincided with a major national holiday in China, National Day Golden Week, which fell between 1 - 8 October this year.

George Hickton said the NZ$20 million additional government funding announced in November will enable Tourism New Zealand to further push arrivals over the summer season and into 2010.

"Our focus will be on where we are best able to stimulate growth. Australia remains important, but we will also be looking to recover the long-haul markets over summer, with spend being directed to the US, UK/Europe and China."

New Zealand's International Visitor Arrivals in October 2009

• Australia 87,676 up 22.2%
• UK 16,629 down 7.5%
• US 13,984 down 2.1%
• China 7,636 up 16.5 %
• Japan 6,072 down 9.6%
• Germany 5,313 up 3.9%
• South Korea 3,933 down 33.1%
• Canada 3,243 down 6.8%

See recent travel news from: Travel News Asia, New Zealand, New Zealand Visitor Arrivals, October 2009