KEY POINTS:
A record number of Aussies hopping across the Ditch for a holiday in December helped boost visitor numbers to their highest monthly level.
Statistics New Zealand figures show 322,200 international visitors were in New Zealand during the first month of summer - up 2 per cent on December
2007.
More than a third of the visitors were from Australia, New Zealand's biggest tourist market, with 132,900 visiting.
That was up 6 per cent on December of the previous year and the highest-ever monthly total, Statistics New Zealand said.
But Britain, New Zealand's second largest market, continued to drop off, falling by 5 per cent in December. Asian markets also fell with Japan down 14 per cent and Korea dropping 34 per cent.
Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton attributed the growth in the Australian market to the increase in transtasman airline capacity and said the lower exchange rate had also helped.
The New Zealand marketing body has boosted its efforts in the Australian market in the past few months in a bid to make the most out of the short-haul market, bringing forward an extra $1.5 million in marketing spending.
Hickton said it appeared this had paid off, filling in a gap in the January market which would not normally have existed. He was also positive about the British market, which it has also been targeting.
"The UK figures were down about 4 per cent - that's not massive - and over the year were down 2.6 per cent. It's the second biggest market we have got and it appears we are holding up - if only by the skin of our teeth."
Overall visitor arrivals for last year were down by less than 1 per cent, falling 7200 to 2.459 million.
Hickton said the figures appeared to be better than people had expected.
"We think we have come through 2008 in better shape than we would have predicted. It's been a stronger summer than expected." But beyond summer the sector was expected to be hit harder.
There were predictions of a 5 per cent drop and Hickton said he wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.
"New Zealand can't avoid the tough economic times."
ASB economist Jane Turner said visitor numbers had remained surprisingly robust over the past three months but she expected the credit crunch to eventually catch up with the tourism sector.
"Current visitors to New Zealand probably made holiday plans before the worst of the crisis hit. With major developed economies now heading into a synchronised recession, global demand for discretionary spending, such as international travel, is likely to be cut back."