Wellington Tourism Statistics

Page last updated: 11 October 2024

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand, located on the southern tip of the North Island. It’s renowned for its stunning harbour, vibrant arts scene, and rich cultural heritage.

How many people visit Wellington every year?

Over 157,000 international arrivals were reported by Wellington Airport in 2023. ¹

• This reflected an increase of approximately 211% compared to the 50,527 arrivals in 2020. 

• The growth from 2021, which saw 16,751 visitors, was even more striking at around 837%.

• The arrivals continued to climb to 93,526 in 2022, leading to a 68% increase in 2023.

• Despite these positive trends, the 2023 figures were still approximately 28% lower than the peak year of 2019, which recorded 218,839 arrivals.

How much do visitors spend in Wellington every year?

Tourist spending in Wellington City reached $1.54 billion in the year ending March 2023, with $424.7 million generated from international visitors and $1.12 billion from domestic visitors.

• Compared to the same period of the previous year, total tourism expenditure saw a 44.7% increase.
  • Domestic expenditure saw a 14.7% rise, and international expenditure increased by 363.1%.

• Compared to pre-pandemic levels in the year ending March 2019, total expenditure in 2023 was 3% lower.
  • Domestic expenditure in 2023 showed a 14.6% increase from 2019’s $973.2 million. However, international expenditure in 2023 was 30.9% lower than the $614.6 million in 2019.

Where do visitors to Wellington come from?

The majority of Wellington’s international visitors come from Australia, with the UK, USA, Germany, Canada, China, Japan, and South Korea also contributing significant numbers between 2017 and 2023.²

• Australia was the top source of tourists, sending approximately 1.3 million visitors.

• The UK was the next largest contributor, with 104,900 visitors.

New Zealand Travel Resources

• Car hire prices in Wellington (or Campervan)
• Compare Car Hire in New Zealand

How many people visited Wellington in 2022?

Wellington Airport reported 93,526 international arrivals in 2022. 

• This number was an 85% increase from 2020 and a 458% increase from the 16,751 arrivals in 2021. 

• Despite this positive trend, the 2022 figures still fell short by about 57% compared to the peak year of 2019.

How much did visitors spend in Wellington in 2022?

In the year ending March 2022, Wellington experienced a 2.7% increase in total visitor expenditure from the previous year, amounting to $1.06 billion. 

• Domestic spending contributed $972.5 million in 2022, marking a 1.8% rise from 2021. 

• International visitor spending grew by 14%, from $80.4 million in 2021 to $91.7 million in 2022.

Impact of Coronavirus – Wellington Tourism Statistics 2020 and 2021

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic deeply affected Wellington’s tourism, evident in the international arrival statistics and spending figures for 2020 and 2021.

• In 2020, Wellington Airport saw 50,527 international arrivals. This was a decrease of approximately 77% from the arrivals in 2019.

• In 2021, the number of international arrivals further decreased to 16,751, representing a 67% drop from 2020.

• In the year ending March 2021, tourism spending fell to $1.04 billion, a 35.4% drop from 2020.
  • Domestic spending slightly dropped to $955.7 million. Meanwhile, international spending decreased to just $80.4 million in 2021, 87.4% down from $639 million in 2020.

• There was a small recovery with total spending at $1,064.2million in the year ending March 2022, a 2.7% rise from 2021.
  • Domestic spending improved to $972.5 million, while international spending saw a 14.0% rise to $91.7 million.

Wellington Tourism Statistics 2019

• In the year ending December 2019, Wellington Airport welcomed over 218,839 international arrivals.

• In the fiscal year ending March 2019, Wellington’s total tourism expenditure was $1.59 billion, with $973.2 million from domestic visitors and $614.6 million from international visitors.

• By the end of March 2020, the total expenditure increased by 1%, reaching $1.6 billion, with domestic expenditure slightly decreasing to $964.2 million, while international expenditure increased by 4% to $639 million.

Top Attractions in Wellington

• Te Papa Tongarewa: New Zealand’s national museum, focused on cultural and natural heritage, attracting around 1.5 million visitors annually.

• Wellington Cable Car: Running from Lambton Quay to the Botanic Garden, this cable car serves as both a transport option and a scenic attraction, drawing close to 1 million passengers per year.

• Zealandia: An urban eco-sanctuary dedicated to conservation and native wildlife, receiving over 100,000 visitors annually.

• Mount Victoria: A popular viewpoint offering panoramic views of Wellington, attracting more than 4 million visitors each year.

• Wellington Botanic Garden: A historic garden visited by 400,000 people annually, known for its landscaped grounds, Begonia House, and seasonal displays.

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References

1.  TRA: Tourism Visitor Summary ↩︎
2.  WNZ: Wellington Insights and Statistics  ↩︎