Our take on the latest Tourism data (Thu 12 Dec 2019)
Tourist arrivals up 0.3%pa
Departures of NZ tourists up 6.3%pa
US arrivals down 11%pa
The key numbers...
- Tourist arrivals stagnated in October, growing a measly 0.3%, having slowed from 1.7%pa in September.
- Tourist arrivals from the United States and Canada were down 11% and 12%pa respectively. This was a change to recent trends, particularly for the US, which has been a strong source of growth over the past 15 months.
- Other notable declines were China, Malaysia, and Germany, down 12%, 36%, and 11%pa respectively.
- Australian tourist arrivals continue to prevent an overall decline in tourist arrivals, having grown 6.2%pa in October, or up by 7,000 people compared to October 2018.
- Tourist arrivals into Auckland, which accounts for roughly 70% of international arrivals, were down 0.2%pa, while Queenstown arrivals were up 19%pa.
Tourist arrivals by airport
Year-end annual % change
...and our reaction
- Previous declines in tourist numbers had been mainly contained to Asia and Europe, but tourist arrivals from North America were also very soft in October.
- A trend of tourist arrival growth into Queenstown and slowing tourist arrivals into Auckland highlights how more flights are coming directly across the Tasman, but there is a squeeze on people coming from further away.
- Despite weakness in tourist arrivals, tourism spending grew 10%pa in October according to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s regional tourism estimates.
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