New Zealand short term visitor arrivals fell June 2009. Visitor arrivals from Australia were up 6,000 or nearly 9%, but fewer visitor arrivals from Japan, Korea, and China helped drag the statistic down by 5% overall compared with June last year.
The positive 1% increase in May 2009 visitor arrival figure gave many in the tourism industry hope that the down turn may be coming to a end. Today’s Statistic New Zealand’s figures dashed many hopes of a short term down turn. Anecdotal evidence suggests that those servicing the Ski traveller are reporting positive numbers for July but the industry is clearly fragmented.
The large gateway cities of Auckland and Christchurch appear to be bearing the brunt of the current down turn while the Ski resort towns who’s primary market is the Australian visitor are riding the sharp upturn in arrivals from that country.