The number of visitors to New Zealand reached 341,300 in December, the highest ever recorded in one month. The number of New Zealanders moving overseas saw a decrease last year, with permanent and long-term departures down by 18,500.

The latest figures from Statistics New Zealand have also shown that the increase was mainly driven by 14,000 more Australian visitors, along with an increase in visitors from the US and Singapore. Last year, in total, nearly 2.5 million people visited New Zealand.

The country’s overall migration balance was a gain of 21,300, the highest since 2004.