Little change in visitor numbers

 

Visitor arrivals in February 2011 numbered 268,300, just above the 267,900 in February 2010, Statistics New Zealand said today.

"Despite little change in overall visitor numbers, arrivals for a holiday were down 7,900 in February – with decreases both before and after the Christchurch earthquake on the 22nd," Population Statistics manager Bridget Hamilton-Seymour said. "However, the earthquake resulted in more arrivals to visit friends and relatives. Between 22 and 28 February, an additional 2,300 people arrived to visit friends and relatives compared with the same days in 2010."

Annual visitor arrivals numbered 2.534 million in the February 2011 year, up 2 percent from the previous year.

New Zealand residents took 103,500 overseas trips in February 2011, just below the 104,000 trips in February 2010. Short-term trips by Christchurch residents were up 700 between 22 and 28 February 2011, compared with the same days in February 2010. Before the earthquake, Christchurch residents took slightly fewer trips than during the same period in 2010.

In the February 2011 year, New Zealand residents took 2.037 million overseas trips, up 6 percent from the February 2010 year.

Net migration stable

Seasonally adjusted net permanent and long-term migration (arrivals minus departures) was 500 in February 2011. In the last 12 months, this series varied between a low of 200 (in June 2010) and a high of 1,000 (in September 2010).

There was an increase in permanent and long-term departures from Christchurch after the earthquake on 22 February. Departures from Christchurch in the last five days of February numbered 148 (unrounded figure), up from 81 in the last five days of February 2010.

Net migration in the year ended February 2011 was 8,200, down from 21,600 the previous year, and below the average annual net migration gain of 12,000 over the last 20 years.

Geoff Bascand 13 April 2011

Government Statistician