International travel covers the number and characteristics of overseas visitors and New Zealand resident travellers (short-term movements) entering or leaving New Zealand.
Key facts
Monthly arrivals - overseas visitors
Monthly arrivals - New Zealand-resident travellers
Annual arrivals
Border crossings
Resumption of seasonally adjusted and trend series
Monthly arrivals - overseas visitors
Overseas visitor arrivals were 326,400 in the January 2024 month, increasing by 58,100 from the January 2023 month. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:
- China (up 15,700)
- United States (up 10,100)
- Korea (up 4,500)
- Australia (up 2,800)
- Japan (up 2,400).
The January 2024 number of overseas visitor arrivals was 82 percent of the pre-COVID-19 number of 399,300 in January 2019.
Of the 326,400 overseas visitor arrivals in January 2024:
- 37 percent were from Australia (compared with 36 percent in January 2019)
- 16 percent were from United States (10 percent in January 2019)
- 9 percent were from United Kingdom (9 percent in January 2019)
- 7 percent were from China (11 percent in January 2019).
Month-Year | Actual | Seasonally adjusted |
Jan-2014 | 292446 | 235900 |
Feb-2014 | 301165 | 237820 |
Mar-2014 | 253561 | 229390 |
Apr-2014 | 224194 | 232420 |
May-2014 | 161355 | 235750 |
Jun-2014 | 162122 | 236630 |
Jul-2014 | 196856 | 240680 |
Aug-2014 | 188849 | 237310 |
Sep-2014 | 193329 | 236820 |
Oct-2014 | 210597 | 243890 |
Nov-2014 | 270408 | 246380 |
Dec-2014 | 402518 | 247820 |
Jan-2015 | 302432 | 246140 |
Feb-2015 | 343457 | 265420 |
Mar-2015 | 291784 | 250900 |
Apr-2015 | 237966 | 255520 |
May-2015 | 176697 | 258160 |
Jun-2015 | 176961 | 261480 |
Jul-2015 | 207984 | 254320 |
Aug-2015 | 202879 | 261140 |
Sep-2015 | 216984 | 268140 |
Oct-2015 | 229379 | 264070 |
Nov-2015 | 300521 | 270510 |
Dec-2015 | 444883 | 272410 |
Jan-2016 | 343446 | 279160 |
Feb-2016 | 373376 | 278240 |
Mar-2016 | 344387 | 285620 |
Apr-2016 | 256685 | 283700 |
May-2016 | 193643 | 285810 |
Jun-2016 | 196223 | 287240 |
Jul-2016 | 237872 | 297000 |
Aug-2016 | 221181 | 291520 |
Sep-2016 | 245089 | 298890 |
Oct-2016 | 260246 | 300850 |
Nov-2016 | 333598 | 297360 |
Dec-2016 | 494193 | 298760 |
Jan-2017 | 381068 | 303590 |
Feb-2017 | 380034 | 299370 |
Mar-2017 | 343799 | 307680 |
Apr-2017 | 311866 | 319920 |
May-2017 | 209170 | 312750 |
Jun-2017 | 230088 | 339280 |
Jul-2017 | 246945 | 312470 |
Aug-2017 | 233991 | 307930 |
Sep-2017 | 252746 | 310910 |
Oct-2017 | 270515 | 310630 |
Nov-2017 | 360136 | 312800 |
Dec-2017 | 513349 | 309340 |
Jan-2018 | 379228 | 311700 |
Feb-2018 | 423456 | 324940 |
Mar-2018 | 388327 | 322210 |
Apr-2018 | 283910 | 318280 |
May-2018 | 222079 | 332210 |
Jun-2018 | 212245 | 319980 |
Jul-2018 | 250523 | 319920 |
Aug-2018 | 246682 | 322560 |
Sep-2018 | 258155 | 318080 |
Oct-2018 | 283568 | 325270 |
Nov-2018 | 385789 | 326890 |
Dec-2018 | 529255 | 318560 |
Jan-2019 | 399346 | 324880 |
Feb-2019 | 417934 | 320100 |
Mar-2019 | 378270 | 344760 |
Apr-2019 | 307409 | 323530 |
May-2019 | 219331 | 329260 |
Jun-2019 | 213536 | 327530 |
Jul-2019 | 255585 | 330630 |
Aug-2019 | 251131 | 326210 |
Sep-2019 | 261770 | 323520 |
Oct-2019 | 283834 | 319960 |
Nov-2019 | 372108 | 312250 |
Dec-2019 | 528219 | 315500 |
Jan-2020 | 410778 | 319030 |
Feb-2020 | 372745 | 286730 |
Mar-2020 | 175521 | 175520 |
Apr-2020 | 1721 | 1720 |
May-2020 | 2189 | 2190 |
Jun-2020 | 3521 | 3520 |
Jul-2020 | 3481 | 3480 |
Aug-2020 | 4782 | 4780 |
Sep-2020 | 5519 | 5520 |
Oct-2020 | 5073 | 5070 |
Nov-2020 | 5116 | 5120 |
Dec-2020 | 5904 | 5900 |
Jan-2021 | 5448 | 5450 |
Feb-2021 | 5297 | 5300 |
Mar-2021 | 4639 | 4640 |
Apr-2021 | 31931 | 31930 |
May-2021 | 57605 | 57600 |
Jun-2021 | 51590 | 51590 |
Jul-2021 | 30209 | 30210 |
Aug-2021 | 2676 | 2680 |
Sep-2021 | 2310 | 2310 |
Oct-2021 | 3687 | 3690 |
Nov-2021 | 5309 | 5310 |
Dec-2021 | 6161 | 6160 |
Jan-2022 | 4033 | 4030 |
Feb-2022 | 5235 | 5240 |
Mar-2022 | 28624 | 28620 |
Apr-2022 | 54303 | 54300 |
May-2022 | 72755 | 72760 |
Jun-2022 | 94648 | 94650 |
Jul-2022 | 134175 | 134180 |
Aug-2022 | 129753 | 129750 |
Sep-2022 | 151270 | 151270 |
Oct-2022 | 161636 | 161640 |
Nov-2022 | 232684 | 232680 |
Dec-2022 | 364716 | 364720 |
Jan-2023 | 268298 | 207410 |
Feb-2023 | 268704 | 215800 |
Mar-2023 | 266131 | 249600 |
Apr-2023 | 221271 | 240650 |
May-2023 | 160335 | 253690 |
Jun-2023 | 178426 | 273430 |
Jul-2023 | 213806 | 278090 |
Aug-2023 | 206783 | 267610 |
Sep-2023 | 224909 | 273420 |
Oct-2023 | 225979 | 253660 |
Nov-2023 | 303429 | 249850 |
Dec-2023 | 418869 | 244060 |
Jan-2024 | 326427 | 264080 |
Month-Year | NZ-resident travellers | Overseas visitors |
Jan-2022 | 2.6 | 1 |
Feb-2022 | 4.5 | 1.3 |
Mar-2022 | 15.7 | 7.6 |
Apr-2022 | 26.6 | 17.7 |
May-2022 | 38.7 | 33.2 |
Jun-2022 | 40.8 | 44.3 |
Jul-2022 | 48.5 | 52.5 |
Aug-2022 | 60.5 | 51.7 |
Sep-2022 | 61 | 57.8 |
Oct-2022 | 63.2 | 56.9 |
Nov-2022 | 75.8 | 62.5 |
Dec-2022 | 65.4 | 69 |
Jan-2023 | 74.9 | 67.2 |
Feb-2023 | 84 | 64.3 |
Mar-2023 | 83 | 70.4 |
Apr-2023 | 86.5 | 72 |
May-2023 | 86.6 | 73.1 |
Jun-2023 | 82.5 | 83.6 |
Jul-2023 | 84.9 | 83.7 |
Aug-2023 | 84.8 | 82.3 |
Sep-2023 | 91.1 | 85.9 |
Oct-2023 | 95.4 | 79.6 |
Nov-2023 | 97.1 | 81.5 |
Dec-2023 | 88.3 | 79.3 |
Jan-2024 | 102.2 | 81.7 |
Monthly arrivals - New Zealand-resident travellers
New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals were 328,100 in the January 2024 month, increasing by 87,700 from the January 2023 month. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:
- Australia (up 41,000)
- China (up 22,100)
- Japan (up 4,900)
- United States (up 3,800)
- Philippines (up 3,500).
The January 2024 number of New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals was 102 percent of the pre-COVID-19 number of 320,900 in January 2019.
Of the 328,100 New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals in January 2024:
- 37 percent were from Australia (compared with 39 percent in January 2019)
- 8 percent were from China (6 percent in January 2019)
- 6 percent were from United States (6 percent in January 2019)
- 5 percent were from Fiji (5 percent in January 2019)
- 5 percent were from India (5 percent in January 2019)
- 4 percent were from United Kingdom (5 percent in January 2019).
Month-Year | Actual | Seasonally adjusted |
Jan-2014 | 228202 | 187690 |
Feb-2014 | 143163 | 193800 |
Mar-2014 | 152432 | 195620 |
Apr-2014 | 165128 | 188590 |
May-2014 | 196231 | 195030 |
Jun-2014 | 189792 | 193390 |
Jul-2014 | 247393 | 193060 |
Aug-2014 | 217096 | 193790 |
Sep-2014 | 209771 | 194580 |
Oct-2014 | 254701 | 196860 |
Nov-2014 | 182726 | 198950 |
Dec-2014 | 136259 | 194880 |
Jan-2015 | 246806 | 201320 |
Feb-2015 | 143015 | 194640 |
Mar-2015 | 162966 | 210260 |
Apr-2015 | 198714 | 204990 |
May-2015 | 189138 | 207360 |
Jun-2015 | 201422 | 205860 |
Jul-2015 | 266351 | 208010 |
Aug-2015 | 232600 | 206500 |
Sep-2015 | 219293 | 203310 |
Oct-2015 | 271450 | 209550 |
Nov-2015 | 192971 | 211190 |
Dec-2015 | 144173 | 210530 |
Jan-2016 | 262570 | 209260 |
Feb-2016 | 159399 | 209580 |
Mar-2016 | 164752 | 210880 |
Apr-2016 | 194126 | 217650 |
May-2016 | 214781 | 220110 |
Jun-2016 | 214579 | 221860 |
Jul-2016 | 286053 | 218320 |
Aug-2016 | 247585 | 221370 |
Sep-2016 | 240404 | 224570 |
Oct-2016 | 294808 | 225830 |
Nov-2016 | 206046 | 226990 |
Dec-2016 | 156094 | 229190 |
Jan-2017 | 288306 | 227300 |
Feb-2017 | 184547 | 252110 |
Mar-2017 | 179276 | 238060 |
Apr-2017 | 221345 | 235720 |
May-2017 | 220392 | 230980 |
Jun-2017 | 224810 | 233860 |
Jul-2017 | 311944 | 235070 |
Aug-2017 | 258628 | 235000 |
Sep-2017 | 259036 | 240960 |
Oct-2017 | 319931 | 243860 |
Nov-2017 | 214488 | 240150 |
Dec-2017 | 167066 | 241380 |
Jan-2018 | 316840 | 248530 |
Feb-2018 | 176835 | 241340 |
Mar-2018 | 183140 | 243460 |
Apr-2018 | 235936 | 247310 |
May-2018 | 231669 | 252640 |
Jun-2018 | 244680 | 249810 |
Jul-2018 | 345136 | 259840 |
Aug-2018 | 284801 | 260290 |
Sep-2018 | 278617 | 256880 |
Oct-2018 | 326229 | 249930 |
Nov-2018 | 221845 | 251280 |
Dec-2018 | 174279 | 249280 |
Jan-2019 | 320945 | 254560 |
Feb-2019 | 190597 | 259920 |
Mar-2019 | 194989 | 255130 |
Apr-2019 | 243302 | 251490 |
May-2019 | 235169 | 264210 |
Jun-2019 | 257310 | 259460 |
Jul-2019 | 340250 | 255180 |
Aug-2019 | 284520 | 259770 |
Sep-2019 | 279754 | 258370 |
Oct-2019 | 326409 | 254620 |
Nov-2019 | 233660 | 261590 |
Dec-2019 | 194522 | 278990 |
Jan-2020 | 326341 | 260600 |
Feb-2020 | 190541 | 249050 |
Mar-2020 | 136721 | 136720 |
Apr-2020 | 4035 | 4040 |
May-2020 | 2626 | 2630 |
Jun-2020 | 4474 | 4470 |
Jul-2020 | 3107 | 3110 |
Aug-2020 | 3295 | 3300 |
Sep-2020 | 2723 | 2720 |
Oct-2020 | 2927 | 2930 |
Nov-2020 | 2468 | 2470 |
Dec-2020 | 2635 | 2640 |
Jan-2021 | 3592 | 3590 |
Feb-2021 | 3033 | 3030 |
Mar-2021 | 2857 | 2860 |
Apr-2021 | 10084 | 10080 |
May-2021 | 29019 | 29020 |
Jun-2021 | 29638 | 29640 |
Jul-2021 | 36517 | 36520 |
Aug-2021 | 13398 | 13400 |
Sep-2021 | 3210 | 3210 |
Oct-2021 | 3779 | 3780 |
Nov-2021 | 3364 | 3360 |
Dec-2021 | 4388 | 4390 |
Jan-2022 | 8475 | 8480 |
Feb-2022 | 8604 | 8600 |
Mar-2022 | 30588 | 30590 |
Apr-2022 | 64741 | 64740 |
May-2022 | 90964 | 90960 |
Jun-2022 | 105110 | 105110 |
Jul-2022 | 165003 | 165000 |
Aug-2022 | 172269 | 172270 |
Sep-2022 | 170754 | 170750 |
Oct-2022 | 206321 | 206320 |
Nov-2022 | 177010 | 177010 |
Dec-2022 | 127287 | 127290 |
Jan-2023 | 240401 | 190620 |
Feb-2023 | 160075 | 217060 |
Mar-2023 | 161937 | 211960 |
Apr-2023 | 210446 | 208350 |
May-2023 | 203641 | 231300 |
Jun-2023 | 212221 | 215600 |
Jul-2023 | 288827 | 215440 |
Aug-2023 | 241236 | 222560 |
Sep-2023 | 254869 | 235960 |
Oct-2023 | 311415 | 239800 |
Nov-2023 | 226814 | 256230 |
Dec-2023 | 171772 | 249290 |
Jan-2024 | 328125 | 261100 |
Annual arrivals
Overseas visitor arrivals were 3.02 million in the January 2024 year, increasing by 1.32 million from the January 2023 year. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:
- Australia (up 319,000 to 1.26 million)
- United States (up 196,000 to 347,000)
- China (up 145,000 to 167,000)
- India (up 63,000 to 86,000)
- United Kingdom (up 54,000 to 168,000).
New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals were 2.77 million in the January 2024 year, increasing by 1.21 million from the January 2023 year. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:
- Australia (up 440,000 to 1.07 million)
- China (up 100,000 to 110,000)
- United States (up 72,000 to 166,000)
- Fiji (up 58,000 to 204,000).
Border crossings
There were 1.29 million border crossings in January 2024, made up of 667,200 arrivals and 620,200 departures. In December 2023 there were 1.21 million border crossings.
January 2024 border crossings were 90 percent of the 1.44 million in January 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Month-Year | Arrivals | Departures |
Jan-2019 | 732396 | 703095 |
Feb-2019 | 619551 | 572943 |
Mar-2019 | 581581 | 649055 |
Apr-2019 | 556929 | 620854 |
May-2019 | 461656 | 521903 |
Jun-2019 | 478472 | 503716 |
Jul-2019 | 606285 | 575710 |
Aug-2019 | 545162 | 553058 |
Sep-2019 | 551244 | 529818 |
Oct-2019 | 620416 | 550980 |
Nov-2019 | 615277 | 570864 |
Dec-2019 | 731404 | 714242 |
Jan-2020 | 748999 | 709105 |
Feb-2020 | 575209 | 531003 |
Mar-2020 | 318911 | 377793 |
Apr-2020 | 6256 | 31975 |
May-2020 | 5622 | 10231 |
Jun-2020 | 9270 | 14997 |
Jul-2020 | 9140 | 18390 |
Aug-2020 | 11515 | 14443 |
Sep-2020 | 11700 | 15823 |
Oct-2020 | 12392 | 13496 |
Nov-2020 | 11741 | 13610 |
Dec-2020 | 12766 | 17405 |
Jan-2021 | 13119 | 13858 |
Feb-2021 | 12160 | 13274 |
Mar-2021 | 11878 | 14618 |
Apr-2021 | 47003 | 38871 |
May-2021 | 91299 | 98183 |
Jun-2021 | 85350 | 90196 |
Jul-2021 | 72027 | 75899 |
Aug-2021 | 18821 | 22513 |
Sep-2021 | 8200 | 7855 |
Oct-2021 | 11020 | 9752 |
Nov-2021 | 12324 | 16370 |
Dec-2021 | 15355 | 26413 |
Jan-2022 | 15910 | 22685 |
Feb-2022 | 16315 | 24639 |
Mar-2022 | 66058 | 60136 |
Apr-2022 | 125128 | 141610 |
May-2022 | 169043 | 175715 |
Jun-2022 | 206030 | 214140 |
Jul-2022 | 308022 | 324805 |
Aug-2022 | 310283 | 304552 |
Sep-2022 | 332709 | 313341 |
Oct-2022 | 378137 | 340604 |
Nov-2022 | 423495 | 373864 |
Dec-2022 | 504942 | 458511 |
Jan-2023 | 521524 | 502670 |
Feb-2023 | 448064 | 394665 |
Mar-2023 | 447713 | 474253 |
Apr-2023 | 446057 | 480150 |
May-2023 | 379405 | 413497 |
Jun-2023 | 406391 | 425462 |
Jul-2023 | 517796 | 471790 |
Aug-2023 | 464909 | 471892 |
Sep-2023 | 496228 | 487334 |
Oct-2023 | 551202 | 470571 |
Nov-2023 | 543753 | 503185 |
Dec-2023 | 602756 | 602544 |
Jan-2024 | 667246 | 620193 |
Feb-2024 | 581905 | 535406 |
Resumption of seasonally adjusted and trend series
In October 2023 we resumed the publication of seasonally adjusted and trend series for international travel with the release of August 2023 data.
Methodology for bridging seasonally adjusted international travel and migration series impacted by COVID-19 has more information.
A further methodological change has been implemented this month to cope with the impact of the pandemic. Seasonally adjusted and trend series up to February 2020 will no longer be revised, to avoid any unintended revisions in the historical series caused by recent data.
Digital arrival card
A digital arrival card (New Zealand Traveller Declaration - NZTD) is available to travellers who have entered New Zealand from mid-July 2023, alongside the existing paper arrival card. Christchurch and Wellington airports were the first to use the NZTD, followed by Queenstown airport in late July 2023 and Auckland airport in late August 2023.
Data from July 2023 therefore includes a growing proportion of digital responses, although paper responses are still the majority. In January 2024, about 1 in 4 of all traveller arrivals completed the digital NZTD.
The implementation of the NZTD has no impact on the range of statistical information available to international travel and migration customers.
Early and provisional international travel data
Each week, Stats NZ releases early and provisional international travel statistics - International travel (provisional) - to facilitate analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on New Zealand's inbound and outbound tourism sectors.
This includes:
- weekly travel data for short-term overseas visitor and New Zealand-resident arrivals
- arrivals and departures data based solely on border crossings into and out of New Zealand
- stock estimates of visitors in New Zealand and New Zealand residents travelling overseas, based on arrivals and departures.
COVID-19 data portal also has summarised daily data.
More data
Use Infoshare to access time-series data for international travel and migration:
Subject category: Tourism
Group: International travel and migration - ITM
Definitions and metadata
International travel - DataInfo+ gives general methodology used to produce international travel and migration statistics.
International travel concepts - DataInfo+ gives definitions of terms used in this release.
Subnational short-term NZ-resident arrivals - DataInfo+ gives methodology for determining the New Zealand-location information in short-term New Zealand-resident arrival records.
Technical enquiries
Mosiana Ha'unga
03 964 8838
[email protected]
ISSN 2624-2710
Next release
International travel: February 2024 will be released on 15 April 2024.