TOURIST numbers to New Caledonia increased by 6 per cent last year, providing a glimmer of hope in an economy struggling with the falling price of nickel.

The vice-president of the southern province, Martine Lagneau, says the island had 114,000 visitors in 2015, the highest on record and an increase of 7000 visitors since 2014.

Most visitors came from nearby Australia and New Zealand, which recorded increases of 15.8 per cent and 25.8 per cent respectively.

She says the number of cruise ship passengers, as well as visitors from Japan and mainland France, was also steadily increasing. In 2015, the tourism industry injected $US219m illion ($F456.05m) into the territory’s economy, which has been struggling with a sharp drop in the price and demand for nickel, its key export.