The new Tourism Satellite Account data was released today by Stats NZ confirms tourism is New Zealand’s second largest export earner.

Total tourism expenditure is the highest it’s ever been at $44.4 billion, an increase of 14.6% from the previous year.

“International tourism is absolutely crucial for New Zealand’s economy and the data released today proves this. Spending by international visitors drives growth, supports businesses, creates employment and makes our cities and towns vibrant,” says Tourism New Zealand’s Chief Executive René de Monchy.

“While these numbers are from the year ended March 2024, they demonstrate tourism’s ongoing importance to New Zealand’s economy: it continues to bounce back after the pandemic but there’s still room for growth. New Zealand’s tourism industry has the capability and capacity to welcome more international visitors who will help to grow New Zealand’s economy. Tourism New Zealand is helping make this happen.

“We are firmly focused on growing year-round tourism, particularly off-peak arrivals to support a productive and sustainable tourism sector. We want to help create a tourism sector that can thrive 12 months a year, provide stable jobs to local communities and deliver once-in-a-lifetime holidays for our international manuhiri (visitors).

“Our activity this year will focus on creating desire for New Zealand as a year-round destination and converting that desire into arrivals. We’re working with our well-established trade partners in our key markets to ensure bookings to New Zealand are top priority, including the campaign live in Australia driving short-term arrivals this Autumn.”

Tourism supports New Zealand beyond exports too, with the TSA data showing 303,420 people were directly or indirectly employed in tourism or 1 in 9 New Zealanders.

Background:  
•    View the full data release here(opens in new window)
•    Total international visitor arrivals YE March 24: 3.2m
•    Total international visitor arrival growth YOY: 44.8% 
•    Total visitor spend growth YOY: 14.6% 
•    Total International visitor spend growth YOY: $6.3b
•    Top six holiday markets: Australia, USA, China, UK, South Korea, Germany