Auckland Airport has experienced its second year of double-digit growth in international visitors.

In the year to June the number grew by almost 12 percent to 19 million.

The British and Irish Lions Tour was a key contributor to the growth, with increased arrivals from the UK and Ireland.

International visitor arrivals at the airport increased by 16 percent to more than 171,400 in 2016, due to a 25 percent increase in holiday arrivals.

The largest increase in passengers came from the US, Australia, the UK, Malaysia and Germany.