Wellington, May 14 (IANS): New Zealand witnessed the largest-ever drop in monthly visitor arrivals in March, ahead of the COVID-19 lockdown, official figures revealed on Thursday.

According to the statistics department Stats NZ, there were 175,500 visitor arrivals in March 2020, down 54 per cent compared with March 2019, Xinhua news agency reported.

"During the second half of March, the government imposed border restrictions for international visitors as part of the broader response to COVID-19," population indicators manager Tehseen Islam said in a statement.

"Visitor arrivals in recent weeks have been near zero," Islam said.

Stats NZ estimated that there were 135,000-155,000 visitors from overseas currently in New Zealand.

These are people who normally live overseas, including Australian and New Zealand citizens, and those on work, student, visitor, and other visas.

Just before the lockdown in mid-March it was estimated that there were 240,000-260,000 visitors in New Zealand, it said, adding there have been relatively few departures from New Zealand in recent weeks.

New Zealand residents are still returning home, despite travel restrictions here and in other countries, although these numbers are now very low, Islam said.

On May 7, Stats NZ estimated 50,000-60,000 New Zealand residents were travelling overseas, down from the estimation of 100,000-110,000 made in March.