The surge of Rugby World Cup visitors outstripped expectations - but the benefits could be mixed as a hangover of weaker tourism lingers through summer.
Statistics NZ reported yesterday that 133,000 had ticked a box on their arrival cards to say they were here for the cup, exceeding pre-tournament forecasts of 95,000 World Cup visitors by 40 per cent. But the tally is not simply extra visitors. The actual increase in arrivals compared to last year is less than 80,000 - suggesting 55,000 fewer non-World Cup arrivals than last year, though this does not take into account any World Cup visitors who may have come anyway.
New Zealand Institute of Economic Research principal economist Shamubeel Eaqub said the benefits of the influx were "negligible".
Visitor arrivals had been flat in the lead-up to the World Cup, and they could stagnate again during the crucial summer months.
"What tends to happen around a big event is people who were going to come to New Zealand anyway [move their trip to] come during the event," he said. "The risk is that as summer unfolds, we won't see as many people from places like South Africa, England and Australia."