Southern ski fields have welcomed the news that Australian tourists are flocking to New Zealand.
Annual visitor arrivals from Australia topped one million for the first time in the year to May, despite the global economy plunging into its worst downturn in decades.
Publishing the data today, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said the 1.002 million visitor arrivals from across the Tasman were up 35,500 - or 4% - from a year earlier, and double the figure of a decade ago.
The increase in Australians is welcome news for Southern ski fields, who are predicitng a good season. Lake Wanaka Tourism general manager, James Helmore, said it was "hugely encouraging".
"The talk around town is that Australians will be important for the forthcoming season. It's great to be able to welcome so many Australians to this side of the Tasman and this, combined with the great early season snow conditions, bodes well for a successful 2009 season."
Representatives from Cardrona Alpine Resort, Treble Cone and Snow Park NZ all reported bookings from Australia were strong and well up on previous seasons.
In contrast to Australian visitors to New Zealand, the 2.42m visitor arrivals from all countries during the year were down 64,200, or 3%, from the May 2008 year.
Annual visitor numbers were down from each of the five largest sources of visitors after Australia.
Numbers from Britain were down 27,300 or 9%, from Korea they were down 25,500 or 28%, from Japan down 22,100 or 19%, from the United States down 21,200 or 10%, and from China down 15,400 or 12%.
A rise in the number of visitors from Australia last month helped lift the total number of short-term overseas visitors to this country in May to 141,900. This was up 1400 or 1% from May 2008 and was the highest ever recorded for a May month.
Australian visitor numbers were up 9200 last month from a year earlier, but those from Korea were down 3400, from China down 2700, and from Japan down 2500.
Despite the rise in arrivals, the estimated average number of visitors in this country each day last month was down 5% from May 2008 to 103,500.
Since December 2004, visitor arrivals from Japan have dropped for all except three months when compared with the same month of the previous year, SNZ said.
Visitors from Korea have dropped for all except one month since May 2007, with the drop last month the largest over that period. Visitors from China dropped in nine of the past 12 months New Zealand residents left on 163,700 short-term overseas trips last month, down 10,300 or 6% from the 174,000 departures in May 2008.
Trips to Australia were down 5900, while those to Britain were down 900, and to Fiji were down 800.
For the May year, New Zealand residents made 1.93m short term departures, down 70,100, or 4%, from a year earlier.
