Asia-Pacific

Chinese bolster NZ visitor numbers after quake

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-11 12:53

WELLINGTON - Overseas visitor numbers to New Zealand were significantly down in March, mostly probably due to the devastating February earthquake in Christchurch and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, according to official statistics.

However, a surge in visitors from China in the first nine months of the financial year was buoying up the statistics from the same period the previous financial year, according to Department of Labour figures out Wednesday.

The number of visitors from abroad fell by 15,000 just over 104, 000, compared with just under 120,000 in March 2010. However, total overseas visitor numbers for the first nine months of the financial year were 1 percent higher than the same period the previous financial year.

The overall increase was mainly due to an increase in visitors from China (up 34 percent).

A statement from the department said the disaster in Japan could affect visitor numbers from there in the next few months.

The department's Migration Trends Key Indicators Report showed that the number of residence approvals declined during the period to 28,675 people, compared with 32,359 for the same period in 2010 and 33,526 in 2009.

The fall was the result of the economic slowdown that was continuing to have a significant impact on global migration, the statement said.

The report said New Zealand, like other OECD countries, had been affected by the decrease in skilled migration.

"Skilled people who might be interested in migrating are less willing and able to give up a job, sell their house and move to a new life overseas," it said. "

Additionally, fewer skilled job offers were available in New Zealand during the period. Opportunities are expected to increase once the economy recovers and the rebuild of Christchurch gains momentum."

The number of people granted temporary work visas in July-March period was 105,434, compared with 101,321 approvals in the same period a year earlier.

Student numbers also increased, with 61,138 student visas approved in the nine-month period, a year-on-year increase of 4 percent from the 58,859 a year previously.

The department's head of research Vasantha Krishnan said, "It will be interesting to see the full year figures for temporary migrants, because the current quarter is likely to be the telling one in terms of the full impact of the earthquakes on these numbers."

New Zealand's overseas visitor figures do not include visitors from Australia.