Tourists Flock to Favourite Destination

According to new figures released by Statistics NZ a record 2.4 million tourists visited NZ last year – 1.6 per cent more than in 2005. The number was boosted by 903,504 Australian tourists, the most ever to visit NZ in one year. “Reaching the 900,000 mark is a real milestone,” said Tourism NZ chief executive George Hickton, who credits his organisation’s high profile What’s On advertising campaign in Australia for the increase. A four per cent decline in British visitor numbers was countered by news that NZ had topped the favourite destination poll in UK travel magazine Wanderlust. “I wasn’t at all surprised to see NZ voted the favourite,” said Wanderlust editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes. “It always appears in the top three and with very good reason. It truly is a world-class destination.”