Visitors flock to NZ but inward migration slows in December

A record number of overseas visitors arrived in New Zealand during December last year, but net inward migration continued to slow, figures released today show.

There were 297,300 short term overseas visitor arrivals in December, up 31,600 or 12 per cent on December 2002 and the highest ever monthly figure, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said in a statement.

For the year to December 2003, there were 2.106 million visitor arrivals, up 61,300 or 3 per cent on the previous December year.

Meanwhile net permanent and long-term (PLT) arrivals in December, at 1600, were down from 3400 in December 2002.

The year to December 31 2003 saw a net migration gain of 34,900, -- 9 per cent lower than the net inflow of 38,200 people in the previous December year.

SNZ said PLT arrivals had now dropped in each of the past 10 months, when compared with the same months of the previous year, and PLT departures had increased in each of the past five months.

Seasonally adjusted figures showed a net PLT inflow of 1400 in December 2003, up from 1000 the month before.

For the year there were net migration inflows from China of 11,300, 10,100 from the United Kingdom, 4900 from India, 2200 from Japan, 1900 from Fiji, 1600 from South Africa and 1200 from the United States. There was a net PLT outflow to Australia of 10,200 in 2003.

Short term visitors from Australia in December 2003 rose by 17,600 or 21 per cent compared to the previous December, visitors from the United Kingdom were up 6200 or 17 per cent, the United States up 2300 or 10 per cent, China 1900 or 24 per cent, and Singapore 1300 or 23 per cent.

Short-term visitors from Japan were down 1600 or 8 per cent, and there were 1000, or 29 per cent fewer, visitors from Taiwan.

The average length of stay by December visitors at 22 days was down a day on the previous December.

SNZ said 51 per cent of short-term visitors were holidaymakers, 27 per cent were visiting friends and relatives and 10 per cent were here on business.

Seasonally adjusted visitor arrivals were up by 5 per cent in December 2003, following a rise of 2 per cent in November 2003, when compared with the previous month.

Meanwhile, visits abroad by New Zealand residents in December 2003 were up by 14,200 or 26 per cent on the previous corresponding period, with more trips to Australia accounting for much of the increase.

For the year ended December, short-term departures by New Zealand residents at 1.374 million, were up 6 per cent on the previous year.

- NZPA