Markets overview

Tourism New Zealand targets visitors across a diverse portfolio of markets. We choose our markets based on there being existing or potential airline connectivity and a significant group of people who are seriously considering visiting New Zealand for their next holiday.

Then Tourism New Zealand focuses our marketing efforts on reaching those who have a strong desire to visit New Zealand and converting that desire into bookings.

Select from the major markets below.

 Australia     USA     China     UK     Germany     Japan   India

Australia

Australia is New Zealand’s largest visitor market, accounting for almost half (44%) of all international visitor arrivals.

Key market insights

• 1.4m Australian visitors arrived in the year ending May 2025.
• 588,000 of these are holiday visitors (42% of all visitors)
• Australian holiday visitors spent $2 billion – an average of $3,854 per person.
• Australian holiday visitors stayed an average of 9 days
• 69% of Australian holiday visitors arrived in New Zealand’s off-peak seasons between March – November
• There are 7.4 million people in Australia seriously considering a visit to New Zealand. 40% of these people have New Zealand as their top preference destination to travel to
• Australian visitors are interested in experiencing local towns, lakes, rivers and waterfalls, trying local cuisine, visiting historical sites and heritage sites, and beaches and coasts

Read the full Australia market overview here(opens in new window). 

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United States of America (USA)

Key market insights

• 382,000 American visitors arrived in the year ending May 2025. 67% of all arrivals from America were holiday visitors
• United States holiday visitors spent $1.8 billion – an average of $6,360 per person
• 51% of holiday visitors arrive in New Zealand’s off-peak season between March – November
• The average length of stay for United States visitors is 10 days
• There are around 73 million people in the USA seriously considering a visit to New Zealand. 43% of these people have New Zealand as their top destination to travel to
• Popular activities for visitors from the United States include hiking, natural attractions, visiting a national park and beaches. American visitors are also interested in trying our cuisine, exploring beaches and coasts and visiting historical and heritage sites

Read the full USA market overview here(opens in new window).

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China

Key market insights

• 250,000 visitors from China arrived in the year ending May 2025. 68% of these were holiday visitors 
• 68% of arrivals are during off-peak seasons
• The average length of stay for visitors was 9 days
• Chinese visitors spent $1.2 billion in New Zealand, with $842 million by holidaymakers. The average spend per trip was $5,809
• There are 68 million people in China seriously considering a holiday in New Zealand, 68% of these people have New Zealand as their top choice destination
• China visitors enjoy natural attractions and walks, hikes, treks and tramps in New Zealand
• There is also strong interest in our local cuisine, scenic boat cruises, trying local wine or beer, and our beaches and coasts 

Read the full China market overview here(opens in new window). 

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United Kingdom (UK)

Key market insights

• 188,000 UK travellers visited New Zealand in the year ending May 2025, with 43% arriving for holidays
• Almost 50% of visitors between March – November, New Zealand’s off-peak seasons
• The average length of stay for holiday visitors is 15 days
• UK visitors spent $971.2 million in New Zealand, with $519.3 million by holidaymakers. The average spend per trip was $5,789, rising to $7,284 for holiday visitors
• 55% of visitors travelled to four or more regions
• There are 16 million people in the UK seriously considering a visit to New Zealand, 50% of these people have New Zealand as their number one destination
• Visitors from the UK are drawn to New Zealand’s beautiful landscapes and are looking to learn and explore more things, and to feel relaxed and refreshed
• Visitors are most interested in trying our local cuisine, visiting beaches and coasts, and visiting national parks, nature reserves or native forests

Read the full UK market overview here(opens in new window).  

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Germany

Visitors from Germany tend to stay longer and spend more per trip than visitors from other countries. 

Key market insights

• 73,000 German travellers visited New Zealand in the year ending May 2025, with 74% arriving for holidays
• The average length of stay for holiday visitors is 16 days
• 50% of visitors from Germany arrive during March – November, New Zealand’s off-peak seasons
• German visitors spent $512.3 million in New Zealand, with $385 million by holidaymakers. The average spend per trip was $8,102, rising to $8,648 for holiday visitors.
• 62% of visitors from Germany visited four or more regions
• Most visitors from Germany enjoyed activities like walks, hikes and tramps, followed by natural attractions including mountains, lakes, forests and beaches. Cultural geothermal experiences were also popular 

Read the full Germany market overview here(opens in new window). 

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Japan

Key market insights:

• 72,000 Japanese travellers visited New Zealand in the year ending May 2025, with 59% of them being holiday visitors
• The average length of stay for visitors is 8 days
• 64% of visitors from Japan arrive during New Zealand’s off-peak seasons (March – November)
• Japanese visitors spent $207.5 million in New Zealand, with $119.1 million by holidaymakers. The average spend per trip was $3,455 for holiday visitors 
• Over half of holiday visitors from Japan spend 4-7 days in the country and 37% of travellers visited both the North and South Islands
• There are 8 million people in Japan seriously considering visiting New Zealand and 51% of these people have New Zealand as their top preference destination
• Visitors from Japan are looking to experience beautiful landscapes and scenery, get in touch with nature, feel relaxed and refreshed and pamper themselves

Read the full Japan market overview here(opens in new window).