New Zealand Tourism Statistics

Page last updated: 11 October 2024

New Zealand, with its popular natural landscapes, vibrant Maori culture, and adventure-filled destinations, has become a must-visit destination for travellers worldwide.

How many tourists visit New Zealand each year?

Over 2.96 million tourists travelled to New Zealand in 2023.¹

• From 2013 to 2019, the number of overseas tourists grew from 2.72 million to 3.89 million.

• Due to international border closures and travel restrictions during the pandemic, visitor numbers dropped to approximately 996,350 in 2020 and 206,862 in 2021.

• In 2022, 1.43 million visitors were recorded, with tourism figures in 2023 increasing by 106.1% from 2022, reaching nearly 3 million overseas visitors.

How much do overseas visitors spend in New Zealand?

International tourists spent over $10.81 billion during trips to New Zealand in the year ending March 2023.²

• From the year ending March 2017 to 2020, New Zealand saw consistent growth in international tourism expenditure, peaking in 2020 with over $17.69 billion.

• The pandemic (year ending March 2021 and 2022) reduced tourism spending to around $1.49 billion and $1.94 billion, respectively.

• In the year ending March 2023, international visitor spending rebounded to around $10.81 billion, a 457.1% increase from the previous year, but this was still below the 2020 peak.

What countries visit New Zealand the most?

Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and India were the primary sources of international tourists to New Zealand in 2023.

• Australia remains the leading source of international visitors to New Zealand, with more than 1.26 million Australians making the trip.

• The United States followed, bringing over 337,306 American travellers in 2023. 

• The United Kingdom (167,002 arrivals), China (151,294 arrivals), and India (84,399 arrivals) followed, showing New Zealand’s continued appeal to tourists from various parts of the world.

How many people visited New Zealand in 2022?

• New Zealand welcomed more than 1.4 million overseas visitors in 2022. This marked a 590% growth from the 206,862 visits in 2021.

How much did visitors spend in New Zealand in 2022?

International tourists spent over $1.9 billion during trips to New Zealand in the year ending March 2022.

• Tourist spending reflected a 30.6% increase from the previous fiscal year, where spending was $1.3 billion. However, this figure remained nearly 89% lower than the $17.6 billion spent in the year ending March 2020.

Impact of Coronavirus – New Zealand Tourism Statistics 2021

• In 2021, New Zealand saw a sharp decrease in international visitors, with only 206,862 tourists, representing a 79.23% decline compared to the prior year. 
  
• Similarly, international tourism expenditure dropped by 91.6%, falling to $1.49 billion from $17.69 billion in the fiscal year ending March 2020.

Impact of Coronavirus – New Zealand Tourism Statistics 2020 

Over 996,000 international visitors travelled to New Zealand in 2020, a 74.4% decrease from 3.8 million in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and global travel restrictions.

• The majority of tourists still came from Australia, although the number fell to just over 1.1 million, a decrease of 22.6% compared to the previous year.

• Visitor numbers from China also dropped by over 41%.
  
  

New Zealand Tourism Statistics 2019

• Over 3.8 million international visitors travelled to New Zealand in 2019, a 0.7% rise from the previous year.

• International tourists spent over $11.4 billion during trips to New Zealand in 2019.

• Australia remained the primary source of tourists, with over 1.5 million Australians visiting and spending over $2.7 billion, leading in both tourist numbers and expenditure.

How long do international tourists stay in New Zealand?

• In 2023, international tourists stayed for an average of 10 nights in New Zealand.

New Zealand Travel Resources

• Car hire prices in New Zealand
• Car hire prices in Auckland
• Car hire prices in Christchurch
• Car hire prices in Dunedin
• Car hire prices in Greymouth

Why do tourists visit New Zealand?

• In 2023, the main reason tourists visited New Zealand was for a holiday, representing 45% of the total inbound tourism. 

• Following closely, visiting friends and relatives accounted for 33% of visits. 

• Business travel contributed 7%, while the remaining 15% of visitors came for other purposes such as education, medical tourism, or using New Zealand as a transit point.

Top Destinations in New Zealand

• Auckland: New Zealand’s largest city, combining urban culture with beaches and nearby islands such as Waiheke Island. Over 2.11 million tourists visited Auckland in 2018.

• Wellington: The capital city, known for the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum and its waterfront. Over 761,203 tourists visited Wellington in 2018.

• Queenstown: A major destination for adventure tourism, offering activities such as bungee jumping, skiing, and jet boating. Over 1.3 million tourists visited Queenstown in 2018.

• Christchurch: Known for its blend of historic and modern elements, including the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and the Cardboard Cathedral. Over 1.07 million tourists visited Christchurch in 2018.

• Milford Sound: Part of Fiordland National Park, recognised for its natural beauty, including Mitre Peak and waterfalls.

New Zealand Outbound Tourism Statistics for 2019

Throughout 2019, New Zealand residents took more than 3.1 million trips abroad.³

• Australia was the top destination, attracting more New Zealand tourists than any other country.

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References

1.  Stats NZ: International travel December 2023 ↩︎
2.  Stats NZ: International travel March 2023 ↩︎
3.  Stats NZ: International Travel December 2019 ↩︎