During August, the number of visitors to New Zealand dropped by 1% i. e 161,000, as compared to the figures for the same month last year.

The drop in the number of visitors from Japan, Korea and China was 39%, 34% and 29% respectively.

The average duration of stay of the visitors also dropped from 18 days to 17 days.

However, there was an increase of 12%, i. e 9600, visitors from Australia; and 7%, i. e 700, increase from the United States.

On the yearly basis, up to the August, 2.41 million people visited New Zealand, down 3% ie 69,700, as compared to the year 2008.

Mostly, the visitors came on a holiday or to meet the family and were from Australia.

Business travelers were down 13% i. e. 34000.

Meanwhile, the number of New Zealanders travelling overseas remained constant at 176,300.

Since October 2008, lesser New Zealanders travelled overseas and, for the first time, the number of travelers during August remained the same as that of last year.

Some 4% more New Zealanders visited Australia, due to Bledisloe Cup in Sydney, but the visitors to US were down 15% i. e 1,400.

During August, visitors on a long-duration stay, having a stay of 12 months or more, went up by 1,600.

Since February, the permanent long-term (PLT) departures have been less, 1,000 or more every month.

At the same time, there has been a 1% increase in the permanent arrivals, 87,500, as compared to the last year.

The net permanent migration was 15,600 during August 2009, with a 12%, i. e 71,900, drop in the PLT departures.