Tourism Export Council of New Zealand has taken a more conservative outlook on the pace of the country’s tourism recovery.
The digital New Zealand Traveller Declaration has been fully rolled out to air and maritime passengers arriving in New Zealand.
The major US market is now tracking above pre-Covid, up 20% on January 2020.
Queenstown Airport saw 211,941 passenger movements in February, up 6.9% on the same month in 2019.
The best performing visitor market of 2023 was India, followed by Fiji and the Philippines.
The bank says the Chinese visitor market is flagging, leading to a more protracted recovery in New Zealand.
International visitor arrivals in December 2023 equated to 79.3% of that seen in the same month in pre-Covid 2019, according to the latest international travel data from Stats NZ.
CTS’ Lisa Li highlights new trends emerging out of the Chinese visitor recovery.
The number of visitors from India is far exceeding that seen in pre-Covid 2019, with the United States the fastest recovering of the major markets.
There is significant room for recovery across Asia, with Chinese outbound and inbound tourism expected to accelerate.
The recovery in the Chinese visitor market gained momentum at the start of summer, with arrivals from that country topping both monthly and annual growth.
Biosecurity New Zealand is thanking international arrivals over the peak Christmas period for helping to protect the country’s $57bn primary sector export industry
About 1 in 5 arrivals in New Zealand in November 2023 used the new digital New Zealand Traveller Declaration arrival card.
France is expected to remain the world’s most popular destination for international arrivals in 2024.
Overseas visitor arrivals fell in October after the mid-winter FIFA Women’s World Cup.
International arrivals are on track for an 87% recovery of Pre-Covid by September next year, according to the latest forecast from Tourism Export Council of New Zealand.
International visitor spend totalled $9bn for the year ending September 2023, making it the second largest export for the country, according to the latest International Visitor Survey.
The global tourism industry could generate $2.26tr by the end of the year, closing in on the amount earned in 2019.
Biosecurity New Zealand has boosted its quarantine and border staff numbers, with 23 new officers and four detector dog handlers to manage the peak international visitor season.
International tourism arrivals are approaching pre-pandemic numbers but growth is weakening as economies around the world contract.
Auckland Airport says it has increased staff numbers, introduced new border-check lanes, and improved its baggage system to address the issues it has suffered since the country’s borders reopened.
International visitor arrivals in August 2023 reached 82% of the same month in pre-Covid 2019, according to international travel data from Stats NZ.
The ITO association says its members are seeing a slight softening in demand for next year due to the ongoing high cost of flights.
Around 13,000 international anglers are expected during the fishing season, according to Fish & Game New Zealand.
Tourism New Zealand says Asia is a priority to help drive more off-peak visitors to New Zealand.
Biosecurity New Zealand is deploying 20 additional staff at Auckland Airport during the coming school holiday period to increase capacity and speed up border processing.
The return of international visitors is helping to improve New Zealand’s economy and shrink the current account deficit, according to Finance Minister Grant Robertson.
International tourism has continued its strong recovery from the pandemic with arrival numbers reaching 84% of pre-pandemic levels between January and July 2023.
Overseas visitor numbers from the United States to New Zealand in July have outpaced even pre-Covid 2019, possibly due to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, according to Stats NZ.
International visitor arrivals will reach close to 3.9 million in the year to June 2025, says the association’s latest forecast.
Visitor spend in the West Coast’s Westland District increased by 96% over the year to the June 2023 quarter – the strongest growth of any region, according to Development West Coast.
Overseas visitor arrivals rose to 178,400 in the June 2023 month, more than double the 83,800 recorded for the same month last year.
Tourism is one of the bright spots for New Zealand’s economy in an otherwise muted environment, says Westpac.
One of NZ’s longest-established inbounders expects to be back at pre-Covid business levels this summer.
Immigration New Zealand has approved close to 18,000 Accredited Employer Work Visas and 312,000 visitor visas, according to the latest immigration figures.
Biosecurity New Zealand says the number of border seizures it is making has climbed sharply in the aftermath of the pandemic and as events such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup attracts visitors.
Operators will need to be on their game this spring and summer as competition heats up for Kiwi and Australian visitors.
The Chinese market is running at about 30% of pre-Covid, according to Stats NZ’s latest travel and migration numbers.
International visitor arrivals to New Zealand in May 2023 recovered to 73% of the same month in pre-Covid 2019, according to the latest travel figures from Stats NZ.
This is more than 83% of arrivals seen over winter in pre-Covid 2019.
One year after New Zealand’s borders started opening, the country’s major source markets have seen substantial increases in arrivals and are closing in on pre-Covid levels.
Visitor arrivals to the Chatham Islands have dropped significantly from their 2021 high.
The government has decided to phase in its new digital travel declarations system across the country’s international airports, as opposed to implementing it all at once as originally planned.
Westpac economists are forecasting a continued rebound in tourism and hospitality, but the pace has slowed down.
China and India make up the largest number of applicants and both have a way to go to reach pre-Covid levels.
Across APAC, rapid urbanisation, technological advancements and a burgeoning middle class are contributing to the rise in outbound tourism,
Visitor numbers from China are expected to pick up over winter, with good growth to be seen by summer.
International visitor arrivals in March are just shy of an 80% recovery compared to pre-Covid 2019, according to data from Stats NZ.
The key Chinese market is only in the early stages of recovery, says the bank.
Overseas visitor arrivals rose to 266,900 in February 2023, up 261,600 from the same month last year because of the border being closed then, according to Stats NZ’s latest travel figures.
