KEY POINTS:
New Zealand welcomed 700 new migrants last month and had the busiest July for short-term visitors since 2004, but gains were not big enough to spur optimism in the tourism industry.
Statistics New Zealand's international travel and migration figures released yesterday revealed a gain of 700 permanent or long-term (PLT) migrants last month compared with 200 in July last year.
PLT migration has increased in three of the past five months compared with the same months last year, and arrivals from India, China and Britain have increased.
Net outflow to Australia was 32,300 in the July 2008 year, compared with 25,500 in year to July last year.
Robin Clements, senior economist at UBS New Zealand, said this was the highest annual net outflow to Australia since the April 1989 year when there were 32,600 permanent and long-term departures.
Short-term overseas visitor arrivals were up 2 per cent from July last year.
This year more visitors arrived from France (up 55 per cent) and Australia (up 2 per cent) but fewer visitors from China (down 12 per cent), Korea (down 8 per cent) and Taiwan (down 25 per cent).
Tourism Industry Association chief executive Tim Cossar said slow growth in visitor arrival numbers reflected the tough tourism market.
