United Kingdom

Last Updated on: 1 March 2010

Visitor Arrival January 2010

Year End Total 258,228 8.0%
Month End Total 37,758 0.6%
Year End Holiday 121,986 14.2%
Month End Holiday 18,589 9.6%

Other Stats (YE September 2009)

Median Length of Stay (Holiday) 20 days
Average Expenditure per Visit NZD3466
Total Expenditure per Annum NZD817.8m

Situation and Outlook

The UK was slower than all other major economies to emerge from recession and, while there are signs of improvement, recovery is expected to be slow and fragile. High...

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76%

of UK holiday visitors travel beyond the main tourist centres to the regions.

Market Overview

New Zealand has long been a favourite holiday destination for British travellers. More than a quarter of a million visit annually, making the UK market second only to Australia for visitor numbers and expenditure.

More than half of British visitors to New Zealand have already been at least once before. Holiday visitors from the UK have the third-longest median length of stay of all of our markets (20 days), after The Netherlands and Germany, and three-quarters of British travellers visit regions beyond the main tourist centres.

Almost all UK travellers use the Internet to research and book travel. Around 80 per cent travel New Zealand fully- or semi-independently, making most of their bookings as they travel the country.

Arrivals from this market grew strongly between 1999 and 2005, on the back of high-profile marketing activity and good word of mouth. Since then interest in New Zealand has plateaued as new destinations have come onto the radars of the well-travelled British.

Although New Zealand remains popular - the destination regularly wins top travel awards and is still on the wish-lists of many travellers - we face new challenges, including increased competition. New Zealand is seen as a trip of a lifetime and that means consumers tend to save their time and money so they can have the best possible trip here. Tourism New Zealand's campaign work is focussed on making the dream of a New Zealand holiday a reality by prompting consumers to 'book now'.

With the Rugby World Cup around the corner, it's time to make sure rugby fans and travel sellers are starting to think about how to make that 'trip of a lifetime' trip happen in 2011.

  • Situation and Outlook

    The UK was slower than all other major economies to emerge from recession and, while there are signs of improvement, recovery is expected to be slow and fragile. High unemployment...

    Read More
  • Visitor Arrivals

    Total arrivals in the year ending December 2009 were down 9.3 per cent from one year prior. The current forecast is for arrivals to increase on average 0.3 per cent...

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  • What We're Up To

    Tourism New Zealand's current advertising in the UK is aimed at stimulating travel for the remainder of New Zealand's peak season, November to April. Marketing is focussed on the more...

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  • Working in Market

    Business methods in the UK closely parallel New Zealand and exporters are unlikely to encounter any unfamiliar situations with regard to business practice. In terms of reaching customers, the way...

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  • Visitor Experience Monitor

    During 2008/09, visitors from the UK were among the most satisfied with their New Zealand holidays. Overall, they rated their satisfaction with the New Zealand holiday experience 9.3 out of...

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  • Contact Us

    Tourism New Zealand's London team manages trade, marketing and media activity for the UK and Western European markets, as well as Scandinavia and the Middle East.

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