The International Visitor Survey (IVS) data released today by MBIE has reinforced the essential role tourism is playing in supporting our economy and many communities around Aotearoa New Zealand.

Over the year ended September 2024, international visitors spent $11.7 billion in New Zealand, up 30% on the $9b in the year earlier. Holiday visitor expenditure is the largest purpose of visit traveller group, spending $7.1b in YE September 2024, up 39% on the year earlier.

“It is great to see such strong value growth from our holiday visitors – what this tells us is that there are retail stores, cafes, restaurants, accommodation and transport providers that welcomed and benefited from our international manuhiri in the last year,” TIA Chief Executive Rebecca Ingram says.

Spend is one part of the equation, the information released today also highlights that satisfaction levels remain very high, with 90% of visitors highlighting they were satisfied or very satisfied with their New Zealand experience and 95% indicating their holiday met or exceeded their expectations.

“Today’s information reinforces the strong value-led contribution of the industry, and it’s really worth celebrating as we head into the summer season when businesses host most of their customers.”

Coming summer an important one

Tourism businesses and many hospitality and retail businesses are preparing to welcome visitors from across Aotearoa New Zealand and from overseas this summer.

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“Tourism brings economic diversity, resilience, generates jobs and fosters regional prosperity while showcasing our cultural richness and fostering pride of place. We’re looking forward to making a difference this season to the over 300,000 kiwis directly and indirectly employed by tourism,” says Ms Ingram.

“We always thought it would take a few years for tourism to regain its momentum, today’s information confirms this. There is opportunity to make an even greater contribution to our economy and the communities we’re part of. We believe that, with the right settings, tourism could be worth $55 billion a year by 2030. The Government’s recently announced Tourism Growth Roadmap is a great next step and we’re looking forward to working with them on this,” Ms Ingram says.

China visitor information is back 

Notably, travellers from China are now back in suitable numbers for MBIE to provide China specific spend data – spending $1.2b in New Zealand over YE Sept 2024.

Australia was the largest market, spending $3.5b in the YE Sept 2024, up 9.4%.

Visitors from the United States spent $1.6b, up 23.1%, reinforcing the importance of this market through the current period.

About the IVS 

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) International Visitor Survey (IVS) for the year ending September 2024 reports on data gathered from travellers as they are leaving Aotearoa New Zealand. The survey has questions ranging from how much visitors spent, how long and where they stayed, to how they rated their experience, how they got around and why they chose to come here.

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