KEY POINTS:
The number of short-term overseas visitors to New Zealand last month was the highest-ever for an October, on the back of an increase of visitors from Australia.
Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) today said 186,600 short-term visitors arrived from overseas in October; 6 per cent, or 10,400, up on October 2005.
Numbers also passed the 181,400 in October 2004 -- the previous high for an October month.
Visitors from Australia were up 8000, or 12 per cent, last month on October 2005, with visitors from China up 1600, or 25 per cent, Korea up 1100, or 13 per cent, and Britain up 1000, or 5 per cent.
Visitors from Japan were down 2900, or 24 per cent, with the 9000 visitor arrivals from Japan last month the second-lowest total in an October month during the past decade.
The 2.394 million visitor arrivals in the year to October was just below the 2.395 million in the October 2005 year, SNZ said.
For the year the number of visitors from China was up 17,900, or 21 per cent, Australia up 16,900, or 2 per cent, and the United States up 9200, or 4 per cent.
Visitors from Japan were down 20,800, or 13 per cent, for the year, and those from Britain down 18,000, or 6 per cent.
New Zealand residents left on 152,400 short-term overseas trips in October, down 8900, or 6 per cent, on October 2005.
For the year to October resident departures were 1.858m, down 3000, from the previous October year.
Seasonally adjusted monthly visitor arrivals were up 1 per cent in October from September, while overseas trips by New Zealand residents were down 5 per cent, SNZ said.
Permanent and long-term (PLT) arrivals were 2400 ahead of departures in October, compared with 1800 in October 2005.
The seasonally adjusted series recorded a net PLT inflow of 1200 last month, compared with a net inflow of 1300 a month earlier.
For the October 2006 year the net migration gain was 13,800, up from 6000 in the October 2005 year.
The 82,200 PLT arrivals in the October 2006 year were up 3100, or 4 per cent, while the 68,400 PLT departures were down 4600, or 6 per cent.
The net PLT inflow from Britain increased to 11,100 from 9400 in the October 2005 year, with the net PLT inflow from Asia also up, rising to 10,500 from 5900.
The annual net PLT outflow to Australia was down slightly to 20,700 from 21,100 in the October 2005 year.
- NZPA
