Monthly visitor arrivals reach November month high
Short-term overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand in November 2011 (230,300) were up 2 percent from November 2010 (226,500). This is a new high for a November month, surpassing the previous November high recorded in 2006 (229,900).
Visitor arrivals by country of residence
The biggest changes in visitor arrivals by country of residence between November 2010 and November 2011 were in arrivals from:
- Australia (up 6,400)
- China (up 3,700)
- Malaysia (up 1,300)
- Japan (down 2,500)
- Korea (down 1,600)
- the United States (down 1,300)
- the United Kingdom (down 1,200).
The increase in visitors from Australia in November 2011 was due to more visitors from Queensland (up 3,000), New South Wales and Victoria (each up 1,000), and Western Australia (up 700).
Arrivals from Malaysia, China, and Singapore have been boosted by new flights from Singapore (from March 2011), Guangzhou (from April 2011), and Kuala Lumpur (from April 2011). Arrivals from China have now increased in every month since May 2010, compared with the same month of the previous year.
Arrivals from Japan and Korea have been decreasing since the Christchurch earthquake on 22 February 2011. Visits from Japan were further affected after that country experienced its own devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.
Visitor arrivals by travel purpose
The biggest changes in visitor arrivals by travel purpose between November 2010 and November 2011 were in arrivals for:
- visiting friends and relatives (up 7,000)
- holidays (down 3,400).
Of the increase in people arriving to visit friends and relatives, 5,600 were from Australia (4,400 of these were New Zealand citizens). The number of people arriving to visit friends and relatives (67,900) reached a November month high, surpassing the previous high recorded in 2009 (62,500).
Annual visitor arrivals up 2 percent
There were 2.583 million visitor arrivals to New Zealand in the November 2011 year. This was up 2 percent from the November 2010 year (2.521 million). A number of major events affected visitor arrivals in 2011, including the Canterbury earthquakes, flight disruptions due to volcanic ash, and the Rugby World Cup.
For more detailed data about visitor arrivals, see the Excel tables in the 'Downloads' box.
More trips by New Zealand residents in November
New Zealand residents departed on 9 percent more overseas trips in November 2011 (174,600) than in November 2010 (160,800). This was a record for a November month, and was possibly boosted by people delaying their trips until after the Rugby World Cup. Departures in the combined months of September and October 2011, which coincided with the Rugby World Cup, were down 9 percent when compared with the same period in 2010.
Overseas trips by country of main destination
The biggest changes in overseas trips by country of main destination (where the person will spend the most time when overseas) between November 2010 and November 2011 were in trips to:
- Australia (up 4,600)
- India (up 1,100)
- Fiji (up 900)
- China (up 800).
Overseas trips to Australia (84,100) reached a November month high, surpassing the previous high recorded in 2007 (81,900).
Visiting friends and family (up 900) was the main reason that New Zealand residents travelled to India. Residents born in either China or India (5,600 and 4,500, respectively) made almost three-quarters of the trips to China (7,800) and India (6,100) in November.
Annual trips by New Zealand residents up 4 percent
Trips taken by New Zealand residents in the November 2011 year (2.080 million) were up 4 percent from the November 2010 year (2.005 million). Much of the increase came from trips to Asia (up 12 percent), boosted by new flights to Singapore, Guangzhou, and Kuala Lumpur. There were more trips to Thailand, the Cook Islands, Singapore, Fiji, the United States, and India. There were fewer trips to Japan, following Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, and to Samoa.
For more detailed data on overseas trips by New Zealand residents, see the Excel tables in the 'Downloads' box.
Net loss of migrants continues
Seasonally adjusted permanent and long-term (PLT) migration figures showed a small net loss (an excess of departures over arrivals) of less than 100 migrants in November 2011. Since the February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand has had a net loss of migrants in all months except August 2011.
Unadjusted figures showed a net inflow of 900 migrants in November 2011, compared with 1,400 in November 2010. The main changes were:
- 600 more departures of New Zealand citizens to Australia
- 300 more arrivals of non-New Zealand citizens, including 200 more on work visas
- 200 more departures of non-New Zealand citizens.
In November 2011, there were net gains of migrants from the United Kingdom (1,100), India (400), China (300), the Philippines, the United States of America, France, and Ireland (each 200).
There was a net loss of 2,500 migrants to Australia, up from 1,700 in November 2010. The highest-ever net loss for a November month was in 2008 (2,600).
Migration to and from Christchurch stabilised in November
Five hundred Christchurch residents moved overseas in November 2011, the same as in November 2010. Since the devastating earthquake on 22 February 2011, there have been 6,500 departures from Christchurch, compared with 4,200 during the same period in 2010.
Five hundred migrants arrived from overseas to settle in Christchurch in November 2011, also the same as in November 2010. Since the February earthquake, there have been 3,700 arrivals to Christchurch, compared with 4,800 during the same period in 2010.
Largest annual net loss of migrants since 2001
There were 84,400 PLT arrivals in the November 2011 year, up 2 percent from the November 2010 year. There were 85,000 PLT departures, up 19 percent from the previous year. This meant that there was a net loss of 600 migrants in the November 2011 year.
This net loss is the largest since the September 2001 year (1,700). New Zealand has experienced numerous periods of negative net migration. The highest net loss since the PLT migration series started (in April 1921) was 43,600 people in the July 1979 year.
New Zealand's net loss of migrants in the November 2011 year was due to a net loss of 35,800 people to Australia. This is the highest-ever recorded net loss to Australia, surpassing the previous high of 35,400 people in the December 2008 year. The November 2011 year figure resulted from 50,100 departures to Australia, offset by 14,400 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 (5,800), India (5,100), and China (4,600) in the November 2011 year.
For more detailed data about permanent and long-term migration, see the Excel tables in the 'Downloads' box.