Overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand totalled 3.51 million in the December 2025 year, up 195,600 (6 percent) from the December 2024 year, according to data released by Stats NZ today.
"The December 2025 year was the first annual period to exceed 3.5 million overseas visitor arrivals since the March 2020 year," international travel spokesperson Bryan Downes said.
"The increase in overseas visitors to New Zealand in 2025 coincided with a 4 percent increase in flights into the country compared with 2024."
Australia led the increase in visitor arrivals in 2025, up 136,500 (10 percent) from 2024. This was followed by the United States, up 15,200 (4 percent), and China, up 13,300 (5 percent).
| Country of residence | Australia | United States | China | United Kingdom | India |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1537988 | 367958 | 407141 | 231712 | 66775 |
| 2020 | 359781 | 124818 | 58508 | 94255 | 18179 |
| 2021 | 160248 | 5153 | 1644 | 6034 | 1622 |
| 2022 | 829168 | 110275 | 16997 | 87959 | 20282 |
| 2023 | 1257933 | 337306 | 151294 | 167002 | 84399 |
| 2024 | 1385323 | 369635 | 248478 | 179856 | 82878 |
| 2025 | 1521825 | 384875 | 261772 | 191918 | 80822 |
The 1.52 million visitor arrivals from Australia in 2025 was the highest for a year since the February 2020 year, aided by a December 2025 month which saw arrivals from Australia exceed 200,000 for the first time.
The 384,900 overseas visitor arrivals from the United States in 2025 was a record for a December year.
Total annual visitor arrivals in 2025 were 90 percent of the level they had been in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
| Month-Year | Australia | China | India | United Kingdom | United States | Total all countries of residence |
| Jan-2022 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 1 | 1 |
| Feb-2022 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 3 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 1.3 |
| Mar-2022 | 13.9 | 0.3 | 3.2 | 9.7 | 2.7 | 7.6 |
| Apr-2022 | 32.4 | 0.5 | 11.1 | 14.5 | 6 | 17.7 |
| May-2022 | 51.7 | 3.3 | 8.3 | 52.7 | 22.1 | 33.2 |
| Jun-2022 | 67.5 | 5.1 | 11.6 | 45.1 | 24.4 | 44.3 |
| Jul-2022 | 76.1 | 4.9 | 25.6 | 52 | 42.1 | 52.5 |
| Aug-2022 | 76.3 | 4.8 | 21.9 | 51.4 | 43.2 | 51.7 |
| Sep-2022 | 79.3 | 6.9 | 36.2 | 65.5 | 49.4 | 57.8 |
| Oct-2022 | 72.2 | 8.4 | 46.4 | 65.7 | 63.2 | 56.9 |
| Nov-2022 | 82.2 | 7.6 | 82.5 | 69.7 | 65.1 | 62.5 |
| Dec-2022 | 86.2 | 12.9 | 69.5 | 85.8 | 65.8 | 69 |
| Jan-2023 | 81.1 | 11.3 | 68.5 | 73.5 | 102.5 | 67.2 |
| Feb-2023 | 78.2 | 8.3 | 95.1 | 74.6 | 76.9 | 64.3 |
| Mar-2023 | 81.2 | 17.7 | 136.4 | 78.6 | 78.6 | 70.4 |
| Apr-2023 | 80.6 | 30.7 | 147.9 | 60.4 | 81.2 | 72 |
| May-2023 | 78.3 | 30.7 | 133 | 65.2 | 77.7 | 73.1 |
| Jun-2023 | 88.9 | 47.3 | 167.2 | 63.6 | 82.3 | 83.6 |
| Jul-2023 | 78.8 | 56.3 | 157.8 | 71.7 | 162 | 83.7 |
| Aug-2023 | 81.1 | 53 | 191.3 | 74.6 | 121.3 | 82.3 |
| Sep-2023 | 88.8 | 69.3 | 141.8 | 74.9 | 80.8 | 85.9 |
| Oct-2023 | 78.1 | 58.4 | 126.1 | 72.4 | 90.6 | 79.6 |
| Nov-2023 | 84.2 | 51.7 | 126.8 | 71.4 | 97.1 | 81.5 |
| Dec-2023 | 82 | 53.1 | 89.5 | 70.9 | 91.6 | 79.3 |
| Jan-2024 | 83.1 | 47 | 102.8 | 75.7 | 127.6 | 81.7 |
| Feb-2024 | 86.8 | 74.5 | 119 | 76.4 | 107 | 86.8 |
| Mar-2024 | 97.3 | 42.1 | 140.5 | 89.6 | 105.8 | 90 |
| Apr-2024 | 75.6 | 59.1 | 136.5 | 52.6 | 81.6 | 73.2 |
| May-2024 | 88.6 | 50 | 119.8 | 69.5 | 83.5 | 81.9 |
| Jun-2024 | 93.6 | 72.4 | 133.6 | 63.5 | 85.7 | 86.8 |
| Jul-2024 | 88 | 91.7 | 136.4 | 71.4 | 85.7 | 86.8 |
| Aug-2024 | 92.6 | 64.1 | 153 | 71.1 | 76.6 | 85.3 |
| Sep-2024 | 91.9 | 74.9 | 133.9 | 79.6 | 87.2 | 86.7 |
| Oct-2024 | 90 | 56.6 | 120.4 | 79.1 | 100.9 | 84.6 |
| Nov-2024 | 95.1 | 53.3 | 128.9 | 87.7 | 94.5 | 86.3 |
| Dec-2024 | 96.1 | 60 | 97.9 | 82.7 | 107.5 | 88.9 |
| Jan-2025 | 99.5 | 81.5 | 90.2 | 84.8 | 130.9 | 92.7 |
| Feb-2025 | 93 | 38.2 | 118.9 | 84.7 | 122.9 | 84.8 |
| Mar-2025 | 86.8 | 49.8 | 132.1 | 78.7 | 101.4 | 82.4 |
| Apr-2025 | 101.4 | 58.4 | 128 | 77.4 | 95.3 | 86.9 |
| May-2025 | 93.2 | 58.5 | 121.1 | 78.1 | 90.6 | 86.9 |
| Jun-2025 | 94.3 | 61.2 | 134.2 | 70.8 | 84.3 | 87.5 |
| Jul-2025 | 102.3 | 78.5 | 133.7 | 76.6 | 78.5 | 92.6 |
| Aug-2025 | 99.6 | 70 | 138.5 | 78.8 | 78.8 | 91.7 |
| Sep-2025 | 103.9 | 73.7 | 131.9 | 86.4 | 90.5 | 95 |
| Oct-2025 | 101.3 | 62 | 116.9 | 81.5 | 104.3 | 92.6 |
| Nov-2025 | 102.4 | 73.4 | 125.9 | 82.9 | 104 | 93.4 |
| Dec-2025 | 104.3 | 77.4 | 103.6 | 88.1 | 106.5 | 95.2 |
Holidaymakers drive increase in overseas visitors
"Holidaymakers were the main driver of the annual increase in overseas visitor arrivals in 2025 from 2024, followed by those visiting friends or relatives," Downes said.
Of visitors who stated a main reason for travelling to New Zealand in 2025, over half (1.79 million) reported a holiday or vacation. This was up 193,300, or 12 percent, from the year before.
Visiting friends or relatives was the second most common reason for travel, given by one-third (1.08 million) of visitors. This was up 50,100, or 5 percent, on the year before.
Record December year for New Zealand-resident travellers
There were 3.11 million New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals in 2025. This was a record for a December year, exceeding the previous record of 3.10 million in 2019.
In 2025, there were record arrivals of New Zealand-resident travellers for any year from some destinations including:
- Australia (1.30 million)
- China (167,000)
- the Cook Islands (115,000)
- India (113,800)
- Japan (92,100)
- the Philippines (59,700)
- Viet Nam (36,000).
