International Travel and Migration: August 2011

In August 2011, overseas trips by New Zealand residents and short-term visitor arrivals were both at record levels for an August month, Statistics New Zealand said today.

"Overseas trips by New Zealand residents were up 6 percent to 191,000," Population Statistics manager Andrea Blackburn said. "At the same time visitor arrivals were up 5 percent to 175,900 and there was a net inflow of permanent and long-term migrants for the first time since February 2011."

The largest increase in overseas trips by New Zealand residents in August 2011 was to Australia (up 4,500). New Zealand residents also took more trips to Thailand, Fiji, India, and Malaysia. Fewer trips were taken to the United Kingdom (down 2,100).

The largest increase in visitor arrivals in August 2011 was from Australia (up 4,800). More visitors arrived from Malaysia, China, and Indonesia, but there were fewer visitors from the United States, Japan, and Korea.

In August 2011, 4,400 visitors said that they were here for the Rugby World Cup. Of this figure, about half (2,100) arrived in the last week of August. Since July 2011 5,600 visitors have indicated they were arriving for the Rugby World Cup.

Monthly net migration now positive

On a seasonally adjusted basis, there was a net gain of 200 permanent and long-term migrants in August 2011. Monthly net migration had been negative since March 2011, when departures from Christchurch jumped following the 22 February earthquake that damaged the city.

Unadjusted figures showed 700 Christchurch residents left to live overseas in August 2011, up from 500 in August 2010. Five hundred overseas migrants arrived to settle in Christchurch in August 2011, down from 600 in August 2010.

The net outflow of migrants from New Zealand to Australia was 2,700 in August 2011, the highest recorded for an August month since 2008 (2,900).

In the year ended August 2011, New Zealand had a net migration gain of 2,300, down from 14,500 the previous year. The latest figure is below the average annual net migration gain of 12,000 over the last 20 years and is the lowest net gain since the October 2001 year (1,700). The decrease in net migration, compared with 2010, was mainly due to an increase in departures to Australia.