Methodology
Tourism expenditure by international students studying for less than one year in New Zealand is calculated using the following steps:
- Total international student numbers are obtained from the Ministry of Education and the Survey of English Language Providers. The latter is an annual Statistics New Zealand survey to collect information on the expenditure of international students studying at New Zealand English language schools, categorised by tuition and other fees, and accommodation fees.
- The numbers of international students studying in New Zealand for less than 12 months are derived as a proportion of total student numbers using short-term passenger arrivals visiting New Zealand for education or medical purposes.
Table 2 shows the breakdown by age of short-term passenger arrivals visiting New Zealand for education or medical purposes.
Short-term passenger arrivals visiting New Zealand for education or medical purposes increased 16.7 and 37.6 percent for the 2003 and 2002 March years, respectively.
- Expenditure on course fees and living costs is calculated using balance of payments data and methodology. The balance of payments estimates include course costs and living costs per student for students studying at schools, tertiary institutions, private English Language Providers and those on study tours.
- Expenditure on airfares is derived using balance of payments transportation credits data. Expenditure on airfares by students in New Zealand for less than one year is obtained as a proportion of the total airfare income of resident airlines.
- Total tourism expenditure by international students in New Zealand for less than one year is the sum of the estimates of expenditure on course fees, living costs and airfares.
Effect of the revised treatment on the TSA
Table 3 presents tourism expenditure by international students in New Zealand for the years 1999 to 2003. The effect of this on published international tourism expenditure and total tourism expenditure is shown for the years 1999 to 2002.
Table 3 - Expenditure by international stuents in the tourism satellite account.
The inclusion of international student expenditure has lifted published total tourism expenditure for the years 1999 to 2002 by 2.4, 2.9, 3.1 and 4.2 percent, respectively.
Tourism value added and tourism value added as a percentage of total industry contribution to GDP have not yet been calculated using the revised methodology. This will be released in a tourism satellite account report to be published in May 2004.
For technical information contact:
Alana Tipping or Ron McKenzie
Christchurch 03 964 8713
Email: national.accounts@stats.govt.nz
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