Rugby World Cup: Visitor numbers surge by 26pc

Tournament boss Martin Snedden said attracting visitors to New Zealand was one of the key reasons for hosting the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Natalie Slade

At least 80,000 international visitors hit our shores for the Rugby World Cup - in just the first half.

Statistics New Zealand yesterday released September visitor arrival numbers, including those who said they were here for the World Cup.

More than 27,000 residents of Australia, 11,000 from the United Kingdom, and 3000 each from the United States, South Africa and Ireland arrived during the month for the tournament. Argentina, Japan, Canada and Fiji also registered more than 1000 visitors each.

The 74,400 World Cup arrivals pushed the total number of visitors during the month to 26 per cent higher than the same time last year.

Welsh visitor Neil Godfrey was among the crowds packing the Auckland waterfront yesterday.

He said he had come for the rugby - but having now seen the country, he was determined to return.

"When the IRB have gone away and the place has gone back to normal, I'll be bringing back my wife to visit.

"It's brilliant. The people are fantastic and the country is lovely."

Australian Courtney Talbot is a rare female World Cup visitor - 69 per cent are male - but is in the most common age group, 25 to 29.

This is her first visit to New Zealand, and it is a short one - she arrived on Thursday and will be off again tomorrow.

"But I definitely want to come back. It's beautiful. It's a beautiful city," Ms Talbot said.

Tournament boss Martin Snedden said attracting visitors to New Zealand was one of the key reasons for hosting the World Cup.

"We have seen in the past six weeks that our overseas guests have added hugely to the colour and passion of our match-day crowds so these numbers bear out that they have certainly been here boots and all."

Rugby World Cup tickets were sold to more than 100 countries, leading to estimates that New Zealand would get 95,000 tournament visitors.

Meanwhile, Visa credit card figures showed the greatest surge of spending was by Irish and French visitors in September.

Australian visitors spent the greatest total, $13 million more than last year. But Irish spending grew 525 per cent, and French by 230 per cent.

Vehicle rental and oil spending increased by more than 70 per cent compared with last year through visitors travelling around the country in cars and campervans, said Visa New Zealand country manager Sean Preston.