Summer tourism plunge confirmed

Tourism, one of New Zealand's most important industries, is taking a battering from the international economic crisis, latest figures suggest.

The number of overseas visitors arriving on short-term trips fell 9 per cent in February compared to the same month a year earlier.

The decline is another indicator of the stresses facing the tourism industry, with Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) saying last month's total of 256,600 was the lowest for a February since 2006, and 24,000 lower than February 2008.

Compared to the first 28 days of February 2008, a leap year, visitor arrivals were down 5 per cent.

The estimated average number of visitors in this country each day last month was 194,500, down 4 per cent from the average of 203,000 in February 2008, SNZ said publishing the data today.

During the year to February, 2.425 million visitors arrived, down 2 per cent, or 60,300, from a year earlier.

Last month the number of visitors arriving from Australia rose by 2200 or 3 per cent.

In contrast, numbers from Britain fell 7500 or 15 per cent, those from the United States were down 5600 or 18 per cent and those from Korea down 2000 or 29 per cent.

The tourism industry was this week given an urgent $2.5 million cash injection in an attempt to get more Australians choosing New Zealand for their holidays.

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key said at the time: "New Zealand tourism is operating in a very challenging environment because the global economic crisis."

The number of New Zealand residents going overseas last month on short-term trips was down 10 per cent or 11,200 on February 2008, to 96,700.

Compared to the first 28 days of February last year, the decline was 7 per cent.

Despite the decrease, last month still had the second-highest resident departure total recorded for a February month, SNZ said.

The number of trips to Australia last month fell by 10 per cent or 5900 from a year earlier, while trips to Fiji fell 1200 or 31 per cent.

For the year to February, New Zealand residents left on 1.95m short term departures, down 2 per cent or 44,100 from a year earlier.

- NZPA, NZ HERALD STAFF