The tourism industry received an early winter boost in June,
with Australia holding up visitor arrivals and promising a strong
ski season.
Statistics New Zealand figures out today show international
visitor arrivals were up 8 per cent in June 2010, compared to 2009,
to 145,800 visitors. They were up 3.7 per cent for the year to
date.
Growth for the month was led by a strong start to the winter ski
season out of Australia (up 7 per cent to 76,200 visitors), and
recovery in key Asian markets following last year's Influenza A
H1N1 (Swine Flu) pandemic.
Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Kevin Bowler said this
return to some growth, particularly among the Asian markets, added
to his confidence that New Zealand was getting back on track with
international arrivals.
"China, Japan and Korea are warming up and the outlook is
slightly brighter, but we have yet to turn the corner to get back
to the growth we were seeing a year ago across Asia and there
remains some underlying weakness in the western markets," he
said.
Much of the growth in Australian arrivals came in the final week
of June, when the first of the school holidaymakers began to
arrive.
Kevin Bowler said these early figures, and feedback from the
Australia, were a good indicator that New Zealand could expect a
strong winter ski season out of Australia.
"Tourism New Zealand's joint 'Big Shout' campaign with Air New
Zealand in March/April, as well as plenty of activity in market by
both Tourism New Zealand and our joint venture partners, have
helped build on strong word of mouth following last year's bumper
ski season."
Visitor arrivals from Western markets were down in June.
Political and economic uncertainty, more expensive airfares,
shortages of airline seats, and the 'stay at home' effect of the
FIFA World Cup, were among the factors influencing declines in
arrivals from the US, UK and Germany.
International Visitor Arrivals June 2010
|
Month of June 2010: |
Year-ending June 2010: |
| Australia |
76,200 |
Up 7.5% |
1,119,437 |
Up 11.1% |
| UK |
7,520 |
Down 13.1% |
248,930 |
Down 5.1% |
| USA |
11,320 |
Down 8.3% |
194,008 |
Down 1.4% |
| China |
5,500 |
Up 115.2% |
105,190 |
Down 2.2% |
| Japan |
5,240 |
Up 123.9% |
83,587 |
Down 5.5% |
| Germany |
1,520 |
Down 1.8% |
65,021 |
Up 3.5% |
| South Korea |
4,160 |
Up 33.6% |
61,244 |
Down 0.8% |
| Canada |
1,620 |
Down 9.1% |
48,615 |
Down 2.7%
|
For more information contact:
Sue Allen - 029 917 5466; suea@tnz.govt.nz