The total number of visitor arrivals in New Zealand was up 13.0 percent on year in March, Statistics New Zealand said on Sunday, standing at 270,700.
"Easter this year was earlier than in 2012 and that helped to boost visitor numbers," population statistics project manager Susan Hollows said in a release accompanying the data. "The latest figure was the highest ever recorded for a March month, easily surpassing the previous high of 250,800 arrivals in March 2008."
On month, there were more visitors from New Zealand's six biggest visitor source countries (Australia, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, and Germany). The figures for Australia, China, and Germany were new highs for a March month. In contrast, visitor numbers from the United Kingdom and Japan remained well below previous highs.
New Zealand residents departed on 155,900 overseas trips in March, up 2 percent on year, again due to the earlier timing of Easter.
In the year to March, New Zealand residents departed on 2.158 million overseas trips, up 1 percent on year. The biggest increase was in trips to the United States (up 14,300), helped by a more favorable currency exchange rate, the statistics bureau said.
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