Visitor arrivals rebound from disrupted June 2011

Visitors to New Zealand numbered 151,100 in June 2012, Statistics New Zealand said today. This was 4 percent higher than June 2010, and 15 percent higher than June 2011.

"The number of visitors arriving in June last year was affected by flight cancellations due to the ash cloud from Chile's Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano," Population Statistics manager Andrea Blackburn said. "The 2012 figure is the second-highest for a June month, after 2005 when the British Lions' rugby tour boosted visitor numbers."

More visitors arrived from Australia (up 15,900) and China (up 3,000) in June 2012 compared with June 2011, but fewer arrived from Malaysia (down 1,300). The increase from Australia reversed June 2011's decrease (down 11,400 compared with June 2010), which was caused by ash cloud flight disruptions.
In the June 2012 year, 2.636 million visitors arrived in New Zealand, up 5 percent from the June 2011 year.

The largest increases were in visitors from Australia, China, France, and Malaysia. The largest decrease was in visitors from Japan.

New Zealand residents departed on 15 percent more overseas trips in June 2012 (221,100) than in June 2011 (192,400). In June 2011, the ash cloud flight disruptions and New Zealand's later-than-usual school holidays contributed to fewer resident departures. Residents departed on 11 percent more overseas trips in June 2012 than in June 2010 (198,800). In the June 2012 year, New Zealand residents departed on 2.154 million overseas trips, up 4 percent from the June 2011 year.

Highest net gain of migrants in 16 months

New Zealand had a seasonally adjusted net gain (excess of arrivals over departures) of 500 migrants in June 2012. This is the highest since February 2011. The increase in net migration in June 2012 (up 300 compared with May 2012), was due to an increase in arrivals (up 600).

New Zealand had a net loss of 3,200 migrants in the June 2012 year. There has been an annual net loss of migrants since the October 2011 year, peaking at 4,100 in the February 2012 year.

The net loss of migrants to Australia in the June 2012 year was 39,800, the same as in the April 2012 year and the highest ever recorded. Annual net outflows of migrants to Australia have been at record levels in most months since the November 2011 year. The June 2012 annual figure resulted from 53,800 departures to Australia (a record), offset by 14,000 arrivals from Australia. In both directions, most migrants were New Zealand citizens.

There were net gains of migrants from most other countries, led by the United Kingdom (5,600), China (5,200), and India (5,200).

See also:
International Travel and Migration: June 2012  –  Information release