Overseas visitor numbers hit a November record in New Zealand last month, despite a second straight monthly fall in arrivals from China, according to the government statistics agency.

Visitor arrivals to New Zealand numbered 251,100 in November, up by 8 percent from November 2012, with the extra visitors coming mostly from Australia, the United States and Germany, according to Statistics New Zealand.

"New Zealand welcomed 15,200 more holidaymakers compared with the same time last year," population statistics project manager Susan Hollows said in a statement.

In the year to the end of November, visitor arrivals rose 5 percent from the previous year to reach 2.7 million, with more visitors coming from Australia (up 52,700), China (up 36,400), and the United States (up 19,000).

The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland fell by 3,400 to 18,384 in November.

The fall followed the introduction of a new tourism law in China on Oct. 1, which placed restrictions on low-cost shopping tours, increasing the price of many tour packages.

Although there were fewer visitors from China, there was an increase in the number staying for five days or more.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler said there was a positive sign of a change in the visitor mix from China based on visa types being issued.

"This continued shift to a better quality visitor and visitor experience aligns with our activity and strategy to increase the value of the Chinese market to New Zealand," Bowler said in a statement.

Arrivals across Asia showed strong growth last month with Japan up 5.6 percent, Hong Kong up 18.5 percent, South Korea up 3.4 percent, Singapore up 26.6 percent and Thailand up 50.8 percent.