New Zealand sees record number of visitors from Australia, China

New Zealand admitted a record monthly number of visitors in December last year, pushed up by increasing number of travelers from Australia and China, the government statistics agency said Friday.

"There were 364,200 visitor arrivals in December 2011, the highest recorded for any month," Statistics New Zealand population statistics manager Andrea Blackburn said in a statement.

"This was 5 percent more than the previous high of 345,700 in December 2010."

The increase in visitors was mainly due to 14,200 more arrivals, including 8,400 New Zealand citizens, to visit friends and relatives, said the statement.

Holiday arrivals were up 2,100 and arrivals for conferences and conventions were up 1,200.

More visitors came from Australia, China, Singapore, and Malaysia, but fewer from the United Kingdom, said the statement.

Visitors from the United Kingdom had dropped in most months since April 2007.

A commentary attributed the increase in Australian visitors last December to a rise of 7,800 arrivals by Australian-based New Zealand citizens.

"Most of the increase in visitors from China was from those staying up to three days only (up 3,000). The short length of stay is because trips to New Zealand are often combined with Australia, " said the commentary.

"Outbound travel from China has increased rapidly in recent years. New Zealand has had more visitors from China in each month since May 2010, compared with the same month of the previous year.

"In addition, arrivals from China, Singapore, and Malaysia have been boosted by new flights from Singapore (from March 2011), Guangzhou (from April 2011), and Kuala Lumpur (from April 2011)."

Annual visitor arrivals for the whole of 2011 numbered 2.601 million, up 3 percent from 2010, passing the 2.6 million for the first time.

New Zealand residents took 218,900 trips in December, up 6 percent year on year, with rising numbers going to Australia, the United States, China, and the United Kingdom.

Last year, New Zealand residents took 2.093 million overseas trips, up 3 percent from 2010.

Meanwhile the country's net migration loss continued in December 2011, when departures exceeded arrivals by 500 people. Net losses have been recorded in nine of the 10 months since Feb. 22 earthquake that killed at least 181 people in Christchurch.

Unadjusted figures showed 1,100 more departures of New Zealand citizens compared with December 2010, including 900 more to Australia, as well as 500 fewer arrivals of New Zealand citizens.

Last year saw the highest ever recorded net loss -- 36,900 people -- to Australia, comprising 51,100 departures, offset by 14, 200 arrivals. In both directions, most migrants were New Zealand citizens, said the statement.

New Zealand saw net gains of migrants from most other countries, led by the United Kingdom (5,500), India (4,900), and China (4,700) last year.