Visitor numbers fall in April

The number of short-term visitors to our shores tailed off in April according to data just released by Statistics New Zealand.

There were 174,800 visitor arrivals in April, down 5 per cent or 9600 on April last year. There were 7900 or 10 per cent fewer Australian visitors, while British tourist numbers fell 2400 or 12 per cent.

Statistics NZ said the timing of Easter, which fell in March this year instead of April, contributed to the drop. There were 6000 fewer Australian visitors in the week ending April 10 this year, which was when Easter fell last year.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, monthly visitor arrivals fell to 351,160 in April, from 370,790 in March.

For the year ended April, there were 2.378 million visitor arrivals, up 8 per cent on the previous April year. There were 106,700 more Australian visitors over the year, 17,700 more visitors from China, 14,300 more British visitors, 11,400 more Japanese and 8000 more Americans.

Kiwis departed on 159,600 short-term trips in April, up 11 per cent or 15,500 on April last year. Australia proved popular, with 6200 or 8 per cent more trips; followed by the US, up 2000 or 28 per cent; and China up 1400 or 53 per cent.

For the year ended April, short term trips by New Zealand residents numbered 1.797 million, up 22 per cent on the previous April year.

There were 700 more permanent or long-term (PLT) departures than arrivals in April, with an increase of 1100 PLT departures against 400 more PLT arrivals.

On a seasonally adjusted basis there was a net PLT inflow of 500 in April, up from a net inflow of 300 in March.

New Zealand is proving less attractive for Asian immigrants, with net inflow from Asia falling to 7200 in the year ended April, from 16500 the previous year.

Meanwhile more New Zealanders crossed the Tasman on a permanent or long-term basis, with a net outflow of 18,200 Kiwis or residents to Australia in the April year, compared to 11,400 the year earlier.

- NZPA