New tourism data released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) shows New Zealand’s international visitor arrival numbers and spending are continuing to climb.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister, Louise Upston said she was encouraged to see tourism numbers continuing to gain in strength.
“Welcoming more international visitors keeps our communities vibrant and our regions humming – supporting local businesses, creating more jobs and strengthening our economy overall,” Ms Upston says.
International Visitor Survey results show for the year ending June 2025, international tourism contributed $12.1 billion to New Zealand’s economy, up 4.3% compared to the previous year.
This reflects an increase of 5% in international visitor arrivals, with 3.38 million visitors coming to New Zealand, up from 3.21 million in 2024.
When adjusted for inflation, Ms Upston said the figures equate international spending to $9.6 billion or 86% of pre-pandemic levels.
“I’m pleased to see the growth in visitor numbers and spending but there is still more work to do to get our tourism sector booming,” she said.
“Amongst other initiatives, the Government recently released the Tourism Growth Roadmap, which sets out our plan to double the value of tourism exports by 2034.
“New Zealand is open for business, and we look forward to welcoming more visitors to our shores.”
Full details of the survey findings are available on the MBIE website:Â International Visitor Survey (Rolling Annual) – Tourism Evidence and Insights Centre.
