Wellington, New Zealand – The New Zealand tourism industry received an early winter boost in June, with Australia holding up visitor arrivals to the country and promising a strong ski season.nFigures released by Statistics New Zealand show international visitor arrivals were up eight percent in June 2010, compared to 2009, to 145,800 visitors. June marks the start of the ski and snowboard season in New Zealand. They were up 3.7 percent for the year to date.

Growth for the month was led by a strong start to the winter ski season out of Australia (up seven percent to 76,200 visitors), and recovery in key Asian markets following last year’s Influenza A H1N1 (Swine Flu) pandemic.