Jump in tourism takes industry to record year

By PETER GRIFFIN

A 9 per cent jump in tourist arrivals last month has convinced the Government that this year will be a record year for the country's biggest export-earning sector.

Some 181,000 people visited the country last month, Statistics New Zealand says, with more tourists arriving particularly from Australia and Britain.

Although they generally stayed for a shorter period - 19 days, down from 22 days the previous October - increased visitor numbers is good news for tourist operators selling everything from hotel accommodation and sightseeing trips to restaurant meals and mementos.

Tourism Minister Mark Burton said international visitors spent $6.3 billion in the year to March.

"And 2004, the year tourism officially became our biggest export earner, looks as if it will be our biggest year yet," he said.

About 79 per cent of visitors come here to holiday or visit relatives. But numbers are up across most visitor sectors, including business travellers and conference-goers.

But visitor numbers in the educational and media sector dropped 3 per cent in the year to October.

Sentiment in the tourism sector is that visitor numbers will stay strong.

Tourism Holdings chairman Keith Smith said at the company's annual meeting in Auckland that tourism was "back in vogue".

The growth of international tourism 4.8 times in the past 21 years now means tourism is the number one contributor to the economy as measured by the gross domestic product at 7.6 per cent, number one employer at 10 per cent and with annual $7.4 billion export earnings exceeds the dairy industry as New Zealand's top exporter.

"There are no indications we can see that suggest New Zealand's bubble as a hot tourist destination is going to burst," Smith said.

Tourism Holdings put increased visitor numbers down to the favourable international perception of this country and more capacity on airline routes.