The number of overseas visitors was up 3 per cent in November from a year earlier to 226,500, as the number of visitors from China and Korea rose, even as fewer people came from Britain.
Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said the visitor numbers last month were still 2 per cent below
the November record of 229,900 in 2006.
Visitor numbers from China were up 3800 from November 2009 to 14,900, following a fall last year to 11,100 from the previous November high of 13,900 in 2007.
A rise of 1800 in visitors from Korea to 6200 was a partial recovery after previous decreases, and remained well below the November 2003 figure of 13,200.
The highest number of visitor arrivals from Korea ever recorded in a November month was 14,100 in 1996, SNZ said.
A drop of 3300 from a year earlier took the number of visitors from Britain to 21,200 last month, the lowest number of visitor arrivals from Britain for a November month since 2001.
New Zealand residents left on 160,800 short-term overseas trips last month, up 2400 or 2 per cent from a year earlier.
For the year, visitor arrivals were up 3 per cent or 81,500 to 2.52 million, with the number of visitors from Australia up 4 per cent or 46,700 to 1,120,000 with visitors from China up 15,700 or 15 per cent, and those from Korea up 14,600 or 28 per cent. The number of visitors from Britain fell 20,200 or 8 per cent for the year.
The number of New Zealand residents leaving on short-term overseas trips for the year rose 83,800 or 4 per cent to 2,010,000 for the year.
