Strong growth in the number of Chinese and Australian visitors during December has helped New Zealand record its biggest month for international visitor arrivals since records began.
Total international arrivals in December 2010 were up 1.3 per cent to 345,656, beating the previous record of 341,337, set in December 2009.
Tourism New Zealand CEO Kevin Bowler said the growth in Australian and Chinese arrivals was the result of strong economic conditions in the two countries and effective marketing work in the lead-up to New Zealand’s peak tourism season.
Bowler said growth in arrivals in December had been tempered by the continued decline in arrivals from some of New Zealand’s traditionally strong visitor markets.
Arrivals from the UK decreased by 9.1 per cent while visitor numbers from the US also fell, dropping 8.3 per cent in December.
New air services are expected to have a positive impact on international arrivals this year.
In January China Airlines opened a route from Taipei to Auckland, via Brisbane, and Singapore Airlines announced it would increase the frequency of its flights from Singapore to Christchurch during the New Zealand winter, while Thai Airways also announced increased frequency of flights to Auckland.
Other new routes opening this year include an AirAsia X direct service between Kuala Lumpur and Christchurch, a Jetstar service between Auckland and Singapore and a China Southern Airlines service from Guangzhou, in Southern China, to Auckland.
