Stats show dented tourist numbers in NZ because of Easter holidays & mosque attacks

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

In Christchurch, the March mosque attacks and timing of Easter holidays might have impacted visitor numbers coming to New Zealand in March.

Tourism numbers have raised with 10,000 fewer visitors coming into New Zealand in March 2019 in comparison to the same month a year before.

ASB economists explain that tourism numbers are getting down from Europe, and growth is fast getting sluggish in the prime Asian and Australian markets.

More tourism infrastructure and providing good value for money from tourisms will be the main reasons of extending the tourism boom, ASB said.

This week, majority of tourism operators were participating in their annual Trenz conference.

The recent data from Statistics NZ goes against previous predictions of rising numbers.
The outlook is for more deteriorating visitor numbers coming to New Zealand.

In March, the total number of visitor arrivals was 378,300.

“March visitor numbers are likely affected by the timing of the Easter holiday – late March in 2018 and mid-April in 2017 and 2019.”

“The March 2019 mosque attacks in Christchurch may have had some impact on visitor numbers. A clearer picture should emerge over the coming months,” Stats NZ said.

The largest drops were in terms of arrivals from Australia (down 12,600), United Kingdom (down 4400), Hong Kong (down 2800), and China (down 2400).

There was a major rush in arrivals in early March. However, numbers were lower in general, Stats NZ population insights senior manager Brooke Theyers said.

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