Chinese visitors drive record boost for New Zealand tourism industry

WELLINGTON - Chinese tourists drove another record in the number of overseas visitors to New Zealand last month, the government statistics agency said Monday.

Visitor arrivals were up 11 percent year-on-year to 300,500 in November, with the biggest increase from China - up 35 percent to 36,700, according to Statistics New Zealand.

"Visitors arriving from China were mainly holidaymakers," population statistics manager Vina Cullum said.

Visitors arriving from China were the highest-ever for a November month, twice as high as November 2013.

Most Chinese visitors were from Beijing (4,400), Shanghai (4,400) and Guangdong (4,200).

In the year ending November, visitor arrivals reached a record 3.09 million, up 9 percent year-on-year, with Australia contributing 1.32 million, China 344,900, and the United States 240,000.

The government's Tourism New Zealand agency said the tourism industry was heading toward a record southern summer season.

"The last 12 months have delivered our biggest tourism results on record with arrivals and spend both hitting new highs," chief executive Kevin Bowler.

"International tourism is the country's biggest services export and a strong tourism industry is good news for all of New Zealand. It means more jobs, income and economic value for the whole country," he said.

"The growth we are seeing and predicting for the months ahead will provide significant benefit for many communities as tourism visitors and associated spend flows through local economies."