Visitor arrivals in New Zealand keep climbing

New Zealand's international arrivals continued to rise in April, with particularly strong growth from China, Australia and the United States, official data showed on Friday.

Overall, New Zealand recorded 288,500 foreign visitors in April, an 8 percent increase year-on-year and 94 percent of pre-pandemic levels, Stats NZ said.

The statistics department reported 32,500 visitors from China in April, up 52 percent from a year earlier, marking one of the fastest growth rates among key markets.

The United States posted a record 25,800 visitors, up 14 percent, while arrivals from Australia reached 138,000, up 4 percent, and visitors from India rose 17 percent to 8,000.

The new data showed tourism, New Zealand's second-largest export earner, is continuing its positive trajectory, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said in a statement.

The continued recovery is "encouraging" given global uncertainties, including the Middle East conflict and fuel supply pressures, Upston said.

The rebound reflects increasing demand and the impact of targeted efforts to attract more international travelers, including a visa-waiver trial for Chinese and Pacific travelers transiting via Australia, she added.

xinhua