WELLINGTON, Oct. 21 -- A surge in arrivals from China and Australia helped drive a record number of visitors to New Zealand in the year to the end of September, the government statistics agency said Friday.
Visitors to New Zealand numbered 3.39 million in the September year, up 11 percent year on year, according to Statistics New Zealand.
A 17-percent increase in holiday arrivals to 1.74 million was largely responsible, said a commentary from the agency.
The biggest changes in visitor arrivals by country of residence between the September years were from Australia (up 80,000 to 1.38 million), China (up 77,600 to 405,500) and the United States (up 32,700 to 270,000).
Visitor numbers in the month of September were up by 16,200 year on year to a record 245,100, driven by a 10-percent rise in arrivals from Australia to 52,800.
