More visitors recorded

Press, 22 October 1984, Page 7

More visitors recorded

The number of visitors to New Zealand in the year ended July, 1984, showed an annual growth of more than 9 per cent for the third month in a row. Total visitors for the 12 months were 539,246, an increase of 9.5 per cent over the previous year. Visitor arrivals for the month of July were 35,560, a 2.8 per cent increase over July, 1983. While this is one of the smaller monthly increases since the boom began in June, 1983, it follows the strong increase of , 13.8 per cent which July, 1983, showed over July, 1982. - The United States, New Zealand’s second largest market, continued to show a strong annual growth of 25.5 per cent for the year and now totals 98,368. Arrival figures from this market were up again for the sixteenth consecutive month, showing a 6.5 per cent increase over July, 1983.

Total visitors for the year from New Zealand’s other

North American market, Canada, rose 18.8 per cent to 22,977. Visitor arrivals for July from . Canada were 1332, up 8.8 per cent on July, 1983. The holiday segment was particularly strong for the month, showing a growth of 25.6 per cent

The boom in Japanese visitors continues. While growth for July was not as spectacular as the previous month, it was up 18.4 per cent on July, 1983, with growth in the holiday sector continuing at a strong 44.8 per cent Japanese visitors numbered 37,365 for the year, an increase of 28.2 per cent on the comparable figures for 1983. Some Western Europe markets, particularly Italy and Switzerland, showed good increases for the month and the year. Visitor industry total Reserve Bank overseas exchange receipts for the year ended July, 1984 were $878.5 million, up 39.3 per cent on the previous year.