Auckland welcomed the most international visitors ever to the city in December 2013 to cap off a record year, according to the latest results from Statistics New Zealand. 

International arrivals to Auckland numbered 274,496 in December, which is an increase of 5.8 percent on the previous December and the highest monthly total on record.

The strong December month capped of an exceptional year, with international visitor arrivals to year-end December 2013 increasing by 6.1 percent on the previous year to reach 1.933 million.

This growth was largely attributed to a 5.1 percent increase in arrivals from our key market Australia, a 9.8 percent increase in visitors from the USA, and a 16.3 percent increase in visitors from China.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) Manager Tourism Jason Hill says this is the strongest consistent growth pattern that Auckland has seen in many years.

“It is excellent to see the continued growth of our key markets Australia and China and for our traditional high-yield long-haul markets the US and Germany to be back in a sustained pattern of growth,” he says.

Auckland’s strong visitor arrival figures will help to support ATEED’s work to grow the overall visitor economy in line with the targets in its 10-year Auckland Visitor Plan. 

ATEED – on behalf of Auckland Council – aims to double the contribution from the visitor economy, growing it from NZ $3.33 billion in 2010 to NZ $6 billion in 2021.

Ends

Notes to editors:

ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development) is Auckland’s economic growth agency.

For further information please contact:

Jo Mackie

Destination Marketing Communications Manager, ATEED

Ph (09) 354 7062 or 021 227 7062
 jo.mackie@aucklandnz.com