Rugby World Cup visitors drive up retail spending in New Zealand

Overseas visitors attending the Rugby World Cup helped drive up retail sales in New Zealand by the highest quarterly rate in almost five years during the quarter to the end of September, the government statistics agency announced Monday. The volume of retail sales rose 2.2 percent, the largest quarterly rise since the quarter to December 2006, contributing to the third consecutive quarterly increase in sales values, according to the Retail Trade Survey results issued by Statistics New Zealand. Supermarkets and grocery stores took in 4.4 billion NZ dollars (3.47 billion U.S. dollars) in the September quarter, up 4.1 percent or 176 million NZ dollars the largest quarterly increase in sales values since Statistics New Zealand began recording the figures in 1995. "The increase in sales volumes coincided with the arrival of 80, 000 overseas visitors here for the Rugby World Cup," Statistics New Zealand industry and labor statistics manager Louise Holmes- Oliver said in a statement. More was sold in 13 of the 15 retail industries in the September quarter, according to the survey. Supermarket and grocery stores, where sales volume rose 3.8 percent, and the accommodation industry, which was up 6.5 percent, led the way. Furniture, floor coverings, houseware and textiles was the only industry to record a significant fall, dropping 6 percent, while department store sales volumes were down 0,1 percent. Total sales values rose 2.1 percent in the September quarter, following increases of 1.8 percent in the June quarter and 2.3 percent in the March quarter. Supermarket and grocery stores led the increase in sales values too, taking in 4.4 billion NZ dollars (3.47 billion U.S. dollars) in the September quarter, a rise of 176 million NZ dollars or 4.1 percent on the previous quarter. Year on year, the volume of total retail sales rose 3.9 percent in the September quarter, while the value of total retail sales rose 6.3 percent. A statement from the agency said the trends for both volumes and values were continuing to rise, with the sales value trend at its peak, while the volume trend was 1.4 percent below its highest- ever point set in June 2007. Figures from Statistics New Zealand on Thursday showed Rugby World Cup visitors to New Zealand contributed to a 21-percent rise in the number of nights for overseas tourists in the country's hotels, motels, backpacker accommodation and holiday parks in September. However, the agency said the increase in guest nights for overseas visitors was almost completely offset by a 12-percent fall in guest nights for New Zealanders, leaving a total rise of just 0.3 percent from September last year. The Rugby World Cup, which kicked off in New Zealand on Sept. 9, boosted international guest nights throughout most of the country that month, according to Statistics New Zealand. On Wednesday, Statistics New Zealand released figures showing overseas visitors for the Rugby World Cup in October contributed to the country's biggest monthly increase in electronic card spending since January. Electronic card spending was estimated to account for 60.3 percent of all spending in New Zealand retail industries in the year to the end of June. An estimated total of 90,000 visitors came to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup, which ended with the home team winning the championship on Oct. 23.