Overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand numbered 291,800 in March 2015, a record high for a March month. Visitor numbers were boosted by the Cricket World Cup, and the earlier timing of Easter and overseas school holidays compared with 2014. Although Good Friday fell on 3 April in 2015, travel generally increases several days before the start of holiday periods. The latest visitor total was 15 percent higher than in March 2014 (253,600) and 8 percent higher than in March 2013 (270,700). Good Friday fell on 18 April 2014 and 29 March 2013, and school holidays in many countries are often timed to coincide with Easter. (full story)