Tourism given April boost by Easter

Tourism picked up in April, with the timing of Easter boosting short term visitor arrivals by 10 per cent, Statistics New Zealand said today.

There were 191,600 short term overseas visitor arrivals last month, an increase of 16,900 on the same month a year earlier.

More visitors came from Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and China -- a move attributed to Easter falling in April rather than March.

A sharp fall in the New Zealand dollar may also be adding to the country's allure. The kiwi is trading at 4-1/2 year lows against the Australian dollar, 2-1/2 year lows against the pound and 18 month lows against the US dollar.

On a seasonally adjusted basis -- combining the visitor arrivals for March and April 2006, to remove any Easter effect -- monthly visitor arrivals were up 2 per cent in April 2006, following no change in March.

There were a total of 2.4 million visitor arrivals for the year to April, up 1 per cent on the previous year.

The average length of stay was static at 17 days.

New Zealanders also had itchy feet in April, with 6 per cent more people embarking on overseas trips than in the previous month.

Long term immigration was solid, with permanent and long term arrivals exceeding departures by 1000 in April on a seasonally adjusted basis.

The net migration gain followed rises of 1800 in March and 1500 in February, showing that while migration is well below a May 2003 peak, the country is not experiencing a complete brain drain.

In the April 2006 year, there was a net permanent long term migration gain of 10,100, up 8 per cent on the net inflow of 9300 people in the previous April year.

Net annual migration gains, previously a key driver of the strong domestic economy, peaked at 42,500 in the year to May 2003, but have fallen due to tighter immigration rules, a reduction in the number of foreign students studying in New Zealand, fewer New Zealanders returning home and more moving overseas.

- NZPA