Sars sparks Asian tourism melt down

12.30pm

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) seems to have had a major impact on Asian tourism to New Zealand.

Figures out today showed more than 17,000 fewer visitors came here from that part of the world in May this year compared with May last year.

Overall, visitor numbers fell 13 per cent from May 2002, from 118,200 to 102,700, new figures from Statistics New Zealand show.

In April visitor arrivals were up 6 per cent, but visitors from most Asian countries were down. Today's figures saw a major decline in Asian tourists hitting home.

"There were fewer visitors from Asia (down 17,700) but more from Britain (up 1400) and Australia (up 1100)," Government Statistician Brian Pink said in a statement.

The last time there was a decrease of this magnitude in visitors from Asia was in March 1998 during the Asian financial crisis, Mr Pink said. Visitor arrivals also fell 13 per cent at that time.

Permanent migrant arrivals were once more higher than people leaving New Zealand, by 1140 for May and by 42,540 in the year to May 31.

That figure included people such as students, who intended to stay in New Zealand for a year or more, Mr Pink said.

- NZPA