Economic conditions bite into New Zealand tourism market

Special Report:Global Financial Crisis

WELLINGTON, Feb. 27 (Chinese media) -- World economic conditions were biting into

the New Zealand tourism industry with a decrease in the number of long-haul

tourists visiting in January this year, according to statistics released on

Friday.

The statistics showed that there were 3.7 percent less visitors in January

this year than the same time last year -- an overall decrease of just under

10,000 visitors. This followed a record month for December last year.

Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton said the figures are

unsurprising.

"The industry has been reporting for some time that there are fewer numbers

of visitors booking from our key long haul markets such as the United Kingdom

(-10.4 percent) and the United States (-19.5 percent)."

But there were more visitors from mainland China (up 3,400, or 32 percent)

and China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (up 1,000, or 68 percent),

coinciding with the earlier timing of the Chinese New Year period compared with

2008.