- Hon Louise Upston
Fresh data out this week shows international visitors are returning to New Zealand in droves and visitor spend is on the up, supporting local business and jobs across the country.
The latest International Visitor Survey showed international tourism contributed $12.5 billion to New Zealand's economy for the year ending December 2025, up 3 per cent compared to the previous year.
"We have seen a really positive recovery of tourist numbers post-Covid, with visitor numbers at 90 per cent of 2019 levels (3.89 million). These latest results show annual spend has been steadily increasing since the borders reopened to international visitors," Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.
"International visitor spend from some countries has now surpassed or nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, with our Aussie cousins contributing $3.0 billion - 111 per cent of their 2019 spend - and visitors from the United States contributing $1.5 billion, reaching 97 per cent of 2019 levels.
"Overall median spend per visitor ($2,248, up 3 per cent) and median daily spend ($309, up 8 per cent) are all up which means visitors are spending more in our accommodation, restaurants and local businesses, giving a significant boost to the economy."
"These results highlight why the work we're doing to boost our tourism and hospitality sector is so important.
"International tourism is New Zealand's second-largest export earner and we are laser focussed on growing this vital sector, by doubling the value of tourism exports by 2034."
"Overall, the resilience of the tourism industry is evident. Whether visitors are drawn by New Zealand's landscapes, our welcoming culture, or the quality of the experiences on offer, the continued rise in visitor numbers and spending underscores tourism's role in fixing the basics and building the future.
"More international visitors mean more customers for our businesses and ultimately more jobs."
Editor's note
The International Visitor Survey from MBIE is released every quarter and contains data for that quarter and for the year ending that quarter. Further details on data quality (sample sizes, response rates, margins of error) are available here.
