New Zealand's tourism sector appears to be finishing the year in a strong position - inching up to pre-pandemic numbers

Stats NZ figures show overseas visitor arrivals reached almost 3.5-million in the year to October - up 205-thousand on the year before.

Overseas arrivals in October were at 93-percent of 2019 levels, before Covid.

Tourism NZ CEO, Rene De Monchy says we're recovering strongly - nudging up in all areas.

He says October was at 99-percent of pre-covid levels for holiday visitors - which is really promising.