Overseas tourist spend hits $6b

By SIMON HENDERY

Annual spending by overseas tourists has topped $6 billion for the first time.

Foreign visitors spent $6.14 billion while in New Zealand during last year, according to the Ministry of Tourism's quarterly international visitor survey.

The figure is a 17 per cent increase on the $5.24 billion spent the previous year and more than double the $3.03 billion spent during 1997.

The survey quizzes a random sample of travellers leaving New Zealand, asking them how much they spent in the country.

Spend per visit increased 11 per cent over the year to an average $3420.

The strengthening of the New Zealand dollar last year and an increase in tourist numbers helped boost the total spend.

In the year to December, 2,045,000 visitors arrived in the country, up 7.1 per cent on 2001.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said it was encouraging that spending was increasing at a greater rate than the growth in tourist numbers, meaning each visitor was spending more while in the country.

"This is a great [indicator] of the type of visitors that New Zealand now attracts, and the products and services they can enjoy while they are here," Hickton said.

"Our aim is to attract higher-spending, longer-staying visitors, those that go out to the regions and spread their spending across the country.

"These latest figures show that we are beginning to attract more of these types of visitors, who are spending more on activities, accommodation and transport in New Zealand."

* A three-year research study funded by the Ministry of Tourism will look at the impact on infrastructure of visitors staying an extra 33 million nights a year in the country by 2008.

Burton said $500,000 had been allocated for the project, which will explore strategies to maximise the benefits of the fast-growing tourism market.

A steering group involving other Government departments would be set up to guide the project.