Latest figures show a 30.1% year-on-year increase in international passengers into Queenstown Airport, with 71,622 passing through in the financial year to October.

The figure, from Auckland Airport's monthly traffic update report, marks a rise from 55,040 international passengers into Queenstown during the previous corresponding period.

This October, 6377 international passengers used the airport, up from 5151 last October - a 23% increase.

A rolling 12-month total amounts to 124,154 international passengers, compared with 85,354 during the previous corresponding period.

For the financial year to October, 257,056 domestic passengers used the airport, up 15.6% on the previous corresponding period's 222,283, with 57,691 this October against 53,738 in October last year.

International aircraft movements were also up 39.9% for the year to October at 1030, compared with 736 during the previous 12 months, while domestic aircraft movements rose from 7534 in the first period to 8028 in the second, a 6.6% rise.

Total aircraft movements at the airport jumped 9.5% to 9058 from previous corresponding period's 8270.

(Source Otago Daily Times)