New Zealand Tourism Statistics Updated November 2026

Human Written & Fact Checked · Updated

158 New Zealand Tourism Statistics for 2026

New Zealand recorded 3.71 million overseas visitor arrivals in the year ended August 2026, up 307,000 on a year earlier. Australia sent 1.60 million of them, a record for any year. International visitors spent NZ$14.3 billion in the year to June 2026, on MBIE's survey of departing visitors.

This page gathers the official figures on New Zealand tourism in one place: arrivals, source markets, trip purpose and length of stay, the seasons and the weather, visitor spending and the economy, airports, accommodation, national parks and the Great Walks, Te Papa and Milford Sound, the visitor levy, safety and getting around. Every number links to the document that carries it, with the date.

Stats NZ counts visitor arrivals at the border. A visitor is anyone who lives overseas and comes for less than 12 months, so New Zealand citizens who live abroad and come home to visit are counted as visitors. Spending is measured three ways, by a visitor survey, by the tourism satellite account and in the balance of payments. Each gives a different total, and we name the measure every time.

Headline figures

How many tourists visit New Zealand each year?

Almost as many as before the pandemic. Arrivals collapsed when the border closed in 2020 and 2021, recovered fast in 2023 and have risen every year since. By August 2026 the monthly count was almost back to its August 2019 level.

3.36m 2016 3.67m 2017 3.80m 2018 3.90m 2019 2.42m 2020 0.21m 2021 0.54m 2022 2.69m 2023 3.23m 2024 3.41m 2025 3.71m 2026
View data table
Overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand, years ended August 2016 to 2026, in millions. One series from one release.
PeriodValue
20163.36m
20173.67m
20183.80m
20193.90m
20202.42m
20210.21m
20220.54m
20232.69m
20243.23m
20253.41m
20263.71m
Overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand, years ended August 2016 to 2026, in millions. One series from one release. (Stats NZ (International visitor arrivals), Oct 2026)

Visitor arrivals count trips, not people: overseas residents arriving for less than 12 months, so one person can arrive several times. Visitors are defined by where they live, so New Zealand citizens who live overseas are counted as visitors. Border crossings count every traveller, residents and migrants included. Seaport arrivals are visitors who came by sea and are not a count of cruise passengers, which this page does not cover. The 2021 fall is Stats NZ's published change.

Where do New Zealand's visitors come from?

Australia, by far. The United States is the second market, China is third and growing fastest of the large markets, and the UK is the largest market in Europe.

  1. 1 Australia 1.60m
  2. 2 United States 389k
  3. 3 China 327k
  4. 4 United Kingdom 196k
  5. 5 India 83k
  6. 6 Japan 79k
  7. 7 Germany 74k
  8. 8 Canada 73k
  9. 9 Korea 68k
  10. 10 Taiwan 66k
  11. 11 Singapore 66k
Overseas visitor arrivals by country of residence, year ended August 2026, the 11 largest markets, in thousands. (Stats NZ (International travel), Oct 2026)

Markets are the country of last permanent residence, not nationality, so they include New Zealand citizens who live in those countries. Calendar-year and August-year totals are different periods and are not compared. Growth rates are Stats NZ's.

Which parts of Australia, China and the US do visitors come from?

New South Wales, Shanghai and California. New South Wales sends the most Australians, with Queensland close behind. In China, Shanghai and Guangdong lead, and in the United States California sends far more than any other state.

  1. 1 New South Wales 523k
  2. 2 Queensland 455k
  3. 3 Victoria 361k
  4. 4 Western Australia 111k
  5. 5 South Australia 55k
Australian visitor arrivals to New Zealand by state of residence, year ended August 2026, in thousands. (Stats NZ (International visitor arrivals), Oct 2026)
  • Australian visitor arrivals in the year ended August 2026 came from New South Wales (522,720), Queensland (455,212, up 10.8%), Victoria (360,778), Western Australia (111,468) and South Australia (54,661, up 21.6%). (Stats NZ (International visitor arrivals), Oct 2026)
  • Chinese visitor arrivals came most from Shanghai (60,747), Guangdong (54,144, up 42.8%), Beijing (39,205), Zhejiang (24,140) and Jiangsu (22,501). (Stats NZ (International visitor arrivals), Oct 2026)
  • US visitor arrivals came most from California (82,347), Texas (28,129), Florida (20,845), New York (20,413) and Washington (17,286). (Stats NZ (International visitor arrivals), Oct 2026)

States and provinces are where the visitor lives, from the Stats NZ tables sponsored by Tourism New Zealand. They count arrivals, so a frequent traveller counts once per trip.

Why do visitors come to New Zealand, and how long do they stay?

Most come on holiday, and holiday travel is growing much faster than trips to see friends and family. Visitors stay a little over a week at the median, and trips are getting shorter. People aged 25 to 34 make the most trips, but those aged 55 and over make many too.

  1. 1 Holiday 1.98m
  2. 2 Friends and relatives 1.09m
  3. 3 Business 207k
  4. 4 Conference 74k
  5. 5 Education 50k
Overseas visitor arrivals by main purpose of trip, year ended August 2026, in thousands. (Stats NZ (International travel), Oct 2026)

Purpose of trip is taken from a sample of arrival cards, and 208,008 arrivals did not state one. Education counts stays under 12 months only. Length of stay is measured from actual departures and may be revised. The median stay from MBIE's visitor survey, in the spending section, is a different measure from a different source.

When is the best time to visit New Zealand?

Summer, from December to March, when visitors arrive in the largest numbers. June is the quietest month. Australians make up a bigger share of visitors in winter, and Americans a bigger share in summer.

370k Jan 354k Feb 312k Mar 267k Apr 191k May 187k Jun 237k Jul 230k Aug 249k Sep 263k Oct 348k Nov 503k Dec
View data table
Overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand by month, 2025, in thousands.
PeriodValue
Jan370k
Feb354k
Mar312k
Apr267k
May191k
Jun187k
Jul237k
Aug230k
Sep249k
Oct263k
Nov348k
Dec503k
Overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand by month, 2025, in thousands. (Stats NZ (International travel, Dec 2025), Feb 2026)

Monthly arrivals are not seasonally adjusted. Market shares are Stats NZ's for single months, so they show how the mix shifts between summer and winter, not the yearly mix. Border crossings include residents. The quarterly spending figure is from MBIE's visitor survey, which has wider margins of error for single quarters.

What is the weather like in New Zealand's main destinations?

Mild in the north and cooler in the south, with very wet mountains in the west. Auckland's summer highs are in the mid-20s and Queenstown drops below freezing on a July night. Milford Sound is the wettest place in NIWA's tables, while Blenheim, Lake Tekapo and Nelson get the most sun.

  1. 1 Milford Sound 6,545 mm
  2. 2 Mt Cook 4,132 mm
  3. 3 Hokitika 2,921 mm
  4. 4 Rotorua 1,356 mm
  5. 5 Auckland 1,119 mm
  6. 6 Christchurch 618 mm
  7. 7 Lake Tekapo 535 mm
Average annual rainfall at seven New Zealand destinations, 1991 to 2020, in millimetres. (NIWA (climate normals), 1991-2020)
  • Auckland averages a daily high of 24.4°C in February and 14.6°C in July, and 19.2°C across the year. (NIWA (climate normals), 1991-2020)
  • Auckland is wettest in July, with 136.9 mm of rain, and driest in January, with 58.1 mm. It gets 1,118.9 mm a year. (NIWA (climate normals), 1991-2020)
  • Queenstown averages a daily high of 22.0°C in January and 8.2°C in July. (NIWA (climate normals), 1991-2020)
  • Queenstown's average July low is -1.4°C. Christchurch's is 0.7°C and Rotorua's 3.7°C. (NIWA (climate normals), 1991-2020)
  • Rotorua averages a daily high of 23.1°C in February and 12.0°C in July. Wellington averages 20.6°C in February and 11.7°C in July, and Christchurch 22.5°C in January and 11.2°C in July. (NIWA (climate normals), 1991-2020)
  • Blenheim gets 2,521.4 hours of sunshine a year, the most of the 21 places in NIWA's table, ahead of Lake Tekapo (2,504.6) and Nelson (2,497.1). Auckland gets 2,121.8 hours, Queenstown 1,898.7 and Mt Cook 1,607.2. (NIWA (climate normals), 1991-2020)
  • Mt Cook (Aoraki) gets 4,132 mm of rain a year and Hokitika on the West Coast 2,921 mm, against 535 mm at Lake Tekapo on the dry side of the Main Divide. Christchurch gets 617.7 mm and Rotorua 1,355.6 mm. (NIWA (climate normals), 1991-2020)
  • Even Milford Sound's driest month, June, averages 440 mm of rain. (NIWA (climate normals), 1991-2020)
  • Milford Sound has 185 wet days a year, days with at least 1 mm of rain. (NIWA (climate normals), 1991-2020)

All figures are 1991-2020 averages from NIWA, now part of Earth Sciences New Zealand. The sunshine table covers 21 places only, so "most sunshine" applies to that list, not every weather station. Seasons are the reverse of the northern hemisphere: summer is December to February and winter June to August.

How much do international visitors spend in New Zealand?

More than from any export except dairy, on MBIE's survey of departing visitors. Australians spend the most in total because so many come, but each spends least. Germans spend the most per trip and Chinese visitors the most per day.

  1. 1 Australia NZ$4.4bn
  2. 2 United States NZ$2.2bn
  3. 3 Asia (excl. China) NZ$2.2bn
International visitor spending in New Zealand by market, year ending June 2026, in NZ$ billion. MBIE visitor survey; Asia excludes China. (MBIE (International Visitor Survey), Sep 2026)

These figures come from MBIE's International Visitor Survey, a survey of departing visitors, in nominal New Zealand dollars. It leaves out international airfares and long-stay students. MBIE recalibrated the survey, revising its 2024 figures, so results from earlier releases, including China spending, are not comparable; this page uses the year to June 2026 release only and gives no growth rates across the change. The survey, the tourism satellite account and the balance of payments measure different things and give different totals: they are shown in separate sections and never compared. The export ranking is MBIE's, against goods export values. Medians are not averages. No regional spending figures are given while MBIE's regional series is paused.

What is tourism worth to New Zealand's economy?

A large share of the economy and of jobs, more so once indirect effects are counted. New Zealanders travelling at home spend more than international visitors do, and international spending is now above its level before COVID-19.

  • Domestic households NZ$21.2bn
  • International visitors NZ$18.1bn
  • Domestic business and government NZ$7.3bn
Tourism expenditure in New Zealand by who spent it, year ended March 2025, in NZ$ billion. Provisional. (Stats NZ (Tourism satellite account), Mar 2026)

The tourism satellite account is Stats NZ's measure of tourism within the national accounts. Its international figure includes spending by short-term international students and other items left out of MBIE's visitor survey, so it is larger; the two, and balance-of-payments travel exports, measure different things and are not compared. Direct value added and total value added, which adds indirect effects, are different measures and are not added together. Employment counts people, not full-time equivalents. 2025 figures are provisional, and the 2024 release may since have been revised, so its figures are not charted with 2025.

How much does New Zealand earn from travel exports?

More each year. Travel exports in the balance of payments count what non-residents buy while in New Zealand. They peak in the summer quarter, and New Zealanders spend much less on travel abroad than visitors spend here.

2.87bn Sep 24 4.36bn Dec 24 5.54bn Mar 25 3.30bn Jun 25 3.35bn Sep 25 4.87bn Dec 25 6.46bn Mar 26 3.91bn Jun 26
View data table
Travel exports by quarter, September 2024 to June 2026, in NZ$ billion, not seasonally adjusted.
PeriodValue
Sep 242.87bn
Dec 244.36bn
Mar 255.54bn
Jun 253.30bn
Sep 253.35bn
Dec 254.87bn
Mar 266.46bn
Jun 263.91bn
Travel exports by quarter, September 2024 to June 2026, in NZ$ billion, not seasonally adjusted. (Stats NZ (Balance of payments), Sep 2026)

Travel in the balance of payments is goods and services bought by non-residents while in New Zealand, including education-related travel, and leaves out international airfares, which sit under transport. It is a third measure, different from MBIE's visitor survey and the tourism satellite account, and is not compared with them. Figures are from the latest release and earlier quarters have been revised.

Where do visitors enter New Zealand?

Mostly through Auckland. Christchurch and Queenstown are the next busiest entry points and both grew fast in the year to August 2026, while Wellington stayed level. Sydney is the last stop before New Zealand for more visitors than any other airport.

  1. 1 Auckland 2.39m
  2. 2 Christchurch 555k
  3. 3 Queenstown 513k
  4. 4 Wellington 174k
Overseas visitor arrivals by New Zealand airport of arrival, year ended August 2026, in thousands. (Stats NZ (International travel), Oct 2026)
  • In the year ended August 2026, 2,389,161 overseas visitors arrived through Auckland airport (up 4.8%), 555,102 through Christchurch (up 20.3%), 512,889 through Queenstown (up 17.1%) and 174,166 through Wellington (up 0.3%). (Stats NZ (International travel), Oct 2026)
  • Hamilton airport processed 29,015 visitor arrivals, up from 4,891 (493.2%), and Dunedin 9,019 (up 488.7%). (Stats NZ (International visitor arrivals), Oct 2026)
  • Sydney was the last overseas airport for 909,347 visitor arrivals, Melbourne for 581,617, Brisbane for 457,724, Singapore for 193,542, the Gold Coast for 136,570 (up 21.5%) and Los Angeles for 111,360. (Stats NZ (International travel), Oct 2026)

These are visitors by the airport where they cleared customs, from Stats NZ border data, not airport passenger totals, which count residents and departures too. The last overseas airport is the final stop before New Zealand, not where the trip began. Hamilton and Dunedin grew from very small bases.

How busy are New Zealand's airports?

Auckland, by a wide margin, followed by Christchurch and Wellington. International traffic grew fastest at Queenstown and Christchurch, while domestic travel fell at Wellington. Queenstown now handles more than a million international passengers a year.

  • International 10.51m
  • Domestic 8.47m
Auckland Airport passengers in the 12 months to September 2026, in millions. International includes transits. (Auckland Airport, Oct 2026)
  • Auckland Airport handled 1,494,716 passengers in September 2026, 4% fewer than a year earlier: 827,668 international, level with 2025, and 667,048 domestic (down 7%). The airport put the fall down to domestic travel and the timing of school holidays. (Auckland Airport, Oct 2026)
  • In the financial year to June 2026 Auckland Airport handled 19.04 million passengers (up 2%), 10.47 million international, including transits, and 8.57 million domestic. (Auckland Airport, Jul 2026)
  • Passengers on Auckland's Middle East routes were 62% fewer in June 2026 than a year earlier, and seats 53% fewer, after conflict in the region. (Auckland Airport, Jul 2026)
  • In calendar 2025 Auckland Airport handled 18.91 million passengers, 10.39 million international and 8.52 million domestic. (Auckland Airport, Jan 2026)
  • Queenstown Airport handled 2.89 million passengers in the 12 months to September 2026 (up 9%), 1.13 million of them international (up 16%) and 1,760,934 domestic (up 4%). (Auckland Airport (Queenstown Airport figures), Oct 2026)
  • Queenstown Airport had 1,001,421 international passengers in calendar 2025 (up 10%) and 2,717,113 in total (up 6%). (Auckland Airport (Queenstown Airport figures), Jan 2026)
  • Christchurch Airport handled 6,851,111 passengers in the year to June 2026, up 7.1%: 5,093,243 domestic (up 5.4%) and 1,757,868 international (up 12.6%). (Christchurch Airport, Aug 2026)
  • Wellington Airport handled 4,874,607 passengers in the 12 months to September 2026, down from 5,236,091 a year earlier: 797,788 international and 4,076,819 domestic. (Wellington Airport, Sep 2026)
  • In calendar 2025 Wellington Airport handled 5,127,415 passengers, 822,198 of them international. (Wellington Airport, Sep 2026)
  • In its financial year to March 2026 Wellington handled 5,082,935 passengers (down 4.4%). International passengers rose 4.0% to 822,801 and domestic fell 5.9% to 4,260,134. (Wellington Airport (market report), May 2026)
  • 177,017 international visitors arrived on direct flights into Wellington in the year to March 2026 (up 6.1%): 98,968 to see friends or relatives and 37,814 on holiday. (Wellington Airport (market report), May 2026)

These are each airport company's own figures, as published to the stock exchange or on its website, and count passenger movements, arrivals plus departures, so they are far higher than visitor numbers. Auckland Airport publishes Queenstown Airport's figures in its monthly update. Financial years differ: June for Auckland and Christchurch, March for Wellington. Wellington's monthly spreadsheet is unaudited and revises earlier reports slightly. The Wellington visitor split is based on a sample.

How many nights do visitors spend in New Zealand's hotels and motels?

Far more in summer than in winter. January is the busiest month and June the quietest, and occupancy follows the same pattern. Hotel rooms have grown since 2020 while total capacity has not.

5.09m Jan 3.98m Feb 3.85m Mar 3.44m Apr 2.43m May 2.18m Jun 2.55m Jul 2.51m Aug 2.78m Sep 3.09m Oct 3.57m Nov 4.32m Dec
View data table
Guest nights in New Zealand commercial accommodation by month, 2025, in millions. Establishments with six or more units.
PeriodValue
Jan5.09m
Feb3.98m
Mar3.85m
Apr3.44m
May2.43m
Jun2.18m
Jul2.55m
Aug2.51m
Sep2.78m
Oct3.09m
Nov3.57m
Dec4.32m
Guest nights in New Zealand commercial accommodation by month, 2025, in millions. Establishments with six or more units. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • Commercial accommodation recorded 5,089,800 guest nights in January 2025 and 2,178,400 in June 2025. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • International guests spent 1,772,100 nights in January 2025, 1.63 million in February and 604,500 in June. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • Occupancy was 68.2% in February 2025 and 39.1% in June 2025. In 2026 it was 71.5% in February and 39.4% in June. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • Guest nights were 2,836,100 in September 2026, the latest month. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • There were 124,992 stay units in 2,833 commercial accommodation establishments in September 2026. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • In September 2026 holiday parks and campgrounds had 44,619 units at 429 sites, motels with 6 to 20 units 13,736 in 1,047 motels, larger motels and apartments 13,581 in 383, backpackers 12,905 in 199 and lodges 4,136 in 389. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • Hotels had 36,015 stay units in 386 establishments in September 2026, up from 30,627 in June 2020, when all commercial accommodation had 129,121 units. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • Stats NZ's tourism satellite account records 38.8 million guest nights in short-term commercial accommodation in the year ended March 2025, 2.7% fewer than a year earlier. (Stats NZ (Tourism satellite account), Mar 2026)

Accommodation figures are MBIE's Accommodation Data Programme, which covers commercial providers with six or more stay units and leaves out holiday homes and short-term rentals. MBIE publishes monthly values only, so no annual totals or annual occupancy rates are given here. The latest release revised the series for new regional boundaries. Holiday-park units include sites. Stats NZ's old Accommodation Survey ended in 2019 and is a different series, so it is not used. The satellite account guest nights are a separate measure for a different period and are not compared with the monthly figures.

Which regions have the busiest accommodation?

Queenstown, which has two peaks: summer and the ski season. Its accommodation stays more than half full even in its quietest months. The West Coast is very quiet in winter, and Auckland is busy all year.

86.0% Jan 89.2% Feb 84.0% Mar 78.1% Apr 55.9% May 55.3% Jun 74.5% Jul 75.6% Aug 73.2% Sep 71.8% Oct 83.1% Nov 84.3% Dec
View data table
Occupancy of commercial accommodation in the Queenstown region by month, 2025, in per cent.
PeriodValue
Jan86.0%
Feb89.2%
Mar84.0%
Apr78.1%
May55.9%
Jun55.3%
Jul74.5%
Aug75.6%
Sep73.2%
Oct71.8%
Nov83.1%
Dec84.3%
Occupancy of commercial accommodation in the Queenstown region by month, 2025, in per cent. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • Queenstown's commercial accommodation recorded 393,800 guest nights in January 2025, 220,400 in June and 333,400 in July, when the ski season starts. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • The West Coast recorded 200,100 guest nights in January 2025 and 44,700 in June, when occupancy was 19.4%. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • Rotorua recorded 237,200 guest nights and 74.0% occupancy in January 2025, against 109,800 and 41.6% in June. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • Auckland's guest nights peaked at 794,800 in December 2025. Its occupancy was highest in November (78.7%) and February (77.2%), and lowest in June, at 52.5% with 491,700 guest nights. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)
  • In September 2026 Auckland had 12,958 hotel stay units, Queenstown 3,867, Wellington 3,781, Canterbury 3,711 and Rotorua 2,017. (MBIE (Accommodation Data Programme), Oct 2026)

Regions are Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) areas on MBIE's revised 2026 boundaries; the Queenstown RTO is smaller than the Queenstown-Lakes District, which includes Wanaka. All figures are monthly values as MBIE publishes them. Seasonal comparisons were checked against the main regions only. No regional spending figures are given, as MBIE has paused its regional estimates.

Which national parks do visitors go to?

Fiordland and Aoraki/Mt Cook, each visited by about one international visitor in five. Most visitors go for a walk, but few do an overnight tramp. New Zealanders favour Tongariro, Abel Tasman and Aoraki/Mt Cook.

  1. 1 Fiordland 21%
  2. 2 Aoraki/Mt Cook 20%
  3. 3 Tongariro 12%
  4. 4 Westland Tai Poutini 10%
  5. 5 Abel Tasman 9%
  6. 6 Arthur's Pass 9%
Share of international visitors who went to each national park, year to June 2025, in per cent. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)
  • 51% of international visitors went to a national park the year before. 57% visited a beach, 31% a geothermal park and 24% a glacier in the year to June 2025. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)
  • 41% of international visitors did a walk of 30 minutes to 3 hours and 6% an overnight or multi-day walk; 28% did not walk at all. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)
  • About 44% of New Zealanders visited at least one national park between July 2024 and June 2025, most often Tongariro, Abel Tasman and Aoraki/Mt Cook. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)
  • DOC manages close to 300 campsites, around 137 of them bookable. Over 400,000 bednights were booked from July 2024 to June 2025, up more than 10%. Totaranui in Abel Tasman was the most booked, with 71,559. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)
  • Pinnacles Hut in the Coromandel was the most-booked hut outside the Great Walks, with 18,053 bednights in 2024/25. Mueller Hut at Aoraki/Mt Cook was 88% full. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)
  • Visitors spent more than 323,000 nights in DOC huts and campsites from 1 October 2025 to late January 2026, about the same as the summer before. (DOC, Mar 2026)
  • 92% of international visitors who went to a Māori cultural experience enjoyed it, and 90% said it improved their understanding of Māori culture. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)
  • 91% of international visitors were satisfied or very satisfied with their visit to New Zealand in the year to June 2025. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)

International visitor shares come from MBIE's International Visitor Survey, as published by DOC, and are shares of visitors, not counts of visits; no official count of national park visits exists. The New Zealander figures are from DOC's own survey of residents. Hut and campsite figures are bookings.

How busy are the Great Walks?

Very busy in summer, when the most popular huts are almost full. Abel Tasman is the busiest Great Walk by far. Most walkers are New Zealanders, except on the Milford and Kepler tracks.

227k 2020/21 188k 2021/22 227k 2022/23 249k 2023/24
View data table
Great Walks bednights booked, full years to June, 2020/21 to 2023/24, in thousands. Huts and campsites; Lake Waikaremoana is not included.
PeriodValue
2020/21227k
2021/22188k
2022/23227k
2023/24249k
Great Walks bednights booked, full years to June, 2020/21 to 2023/24, in thousands. Huts and campsites; Lake Waikaremoana is not included. (DOC (Great Walks bookings), 2024)
  • DOC's Great Walks recorded 249,277 bednights and 47,828 bookings in the year to June 2024, up 10% and 15%, and NZ$8,902,837 of revenue before GST. (DOC (Great Walks bookings), 2024)
  • International walkers took 36% of Great Walks bednights in 2023/24, against 31% in 2022/23, 4% in 2021/22 and 9% in 2020/21. (DOC (Great Walks bookings), 2024)
  • The Abel Tasman Coast Track had 80,262 bednights and 14,311 bookings in 2023/24, ahead of the Kepler (31,912 bednights), Routeburn (25,051) and Milford (21,441). (DOC (Great Walks bookings), 2024)
  • Great Walks huts recorded 154,215 bednights in summer 2024/25 at 78% occupancy. 59% of hut users were New Zealanders. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)
  • Huts on the Milford Track and Abel Tasman Coast Track were 95% full in summer 2024/25, the Paparoa 92% and the Kepler 91%. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)
  • Most walkers were international only on the Kepler Track (56%) and the Milford Track (54%). The Routeburn was split evenly. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)
  • 18% of New Zealanders said they did a Great Walk in the year to June 2025, with the Abel Tasman and Tongariro Northern Circuit most popular at 5% each. 11% did a Great Ride. (DOC (visitor activity 2024/25), Dec 2025)
  • Opening-day bookings for the 2025/26 season topped 140,000 bednights, more than 10,000 up on the year before, and brought in more than NZ$9 million. Nearly 12,000 people were waiting to book the Milford Track when it opened. (DOC, Jul 2025)

Two measures that are not compared or charted together. The full-year figures are DOC's realised bookings for huts and campsites in years to June, which stop at 2023/24 and leave out Lake Waikaremoana. The summer 2024/25 figures are hut bookings in the peak season only, with the nationality split from a survey of walkers after their trip. The share of New Zealanders who did a Great Walk is self-reported and looks high against bookings. Opening-day figures are from a ministerial release published by DOC.

How many people visit Te Papa, Milford Sound and the Tongariro Crossing?

Te Papa, the national museum in Wellington, still gets about a million visits a year, but international visits fell sharply after it began charging overseas visitors. Milford Sound had a record summer in 2025/26, while bad weather and fires cut numbers on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

85k 2022/23 126k 2023/24 133k 2024/25 106k 2025/26
View data table
Tongariro Alpine Crossing track counter activity, 1 October to 30 April each season, in thousands, rounded by DOC.
PeriodValue
2022/2385k
2023/24126k
2024/25133k
2025/26106k
Tongariro Alpine Crossing track counter activity, 1 October to 30 April each season, in thousands, rounded by DOC. (DOC (Tongariro Crossing monitoring), 2026)
  • Te Papa recorded 1,044,088 visits in the year to June 2025, 15.5% fewer than the 1,235,930 of 2023/24. (Te Papa (annual report), Oct 2025)
  • International visits to Te Papa fell 28% to about 428,266, from 591,064 the year before. Te Papa says the entry charge for international visitors, introduced in September 2024, likely played a part. (Te Papa (annual report), Oct 2025)
  • Domestic visits to Te Papa, which are free, fell 4.5% to 615,824 from 644,866. (Te Papa (annual report), Oct 2025)
  • Milford Sound day-cruise passengers in December 2025 were up 12,117 (13%) on a year earlier, and visits that summer were running 6% above the peak before COVID-19, the main cruise operator said. (DOC, Feb 2026)
  • Milford Sound visitor numbers more than doubled between 2012 and 2018, from about 437,000 to 883,000. (DOC (Piopiotahi programme), 2012-2018)
  • Track counters on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing recorded about 106,000 movements (71,000 one-way) from October 2025 to April 2026, down from 133,000 (94,000) a year earlier. DOC estimates the 2018/19 peak at 155,000 visits. (DOC (Tongariro Crossing monitoring), 2026)

Te Papa counts visits, not people, in its financial year to June. The Milford Sound figures are the operator's, relayed in a DOC release; no official annual visitor count for 2025 is published. Tongariro counter figures carry an error of about 10%, and DOC links the 2025/26 fall to two fires and a poor summer. Hobbiton publishes no visitor numbers we could verify.

How much does the international visitor levy raise?

Far more since the levy rose in October 2024. Most international visitors pay it when they apply for a visa or travel authority, and the money goes to tourism and conservation projects.

57.2m 2019/20 2.7m 2020/21 3.3m 2021/22 44.9m 2022/23 62.5m 2023/24 146.0m 2024/25
View data table
International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy revenue by financial year to June, in NZ$ million.
PeriodValue
2019/2057.2m
2020/212.7m
2021/223.3m
2022/2344.9m
2023/2462.5m
2024/25146.0m
International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy revenue by financial year to June, in NZ$ million. (MBIE (IVL annual report), Jun 2026)
  • The levy is NZ$100, charged to most international visitors when they apply for a visa or a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA). (MBIE (IVL annual report), Jun 2026)
  • Cabinet agreed to raise the levy from NZ$35 to NZ$100 in October 2024. MBIE puts the rise in revenue down to the higher levy and more visitors. (MBIE (IVL annual report), Jun 2026)
  • In 2024/25 the levy funded NZ$34.7 million of spending on six tourism projects and NZ$18.74 million on 28 conservation projects. (MBIE (IVL annual report), Jun 2026)
  • At 30 June 2025, NZ$271.9 million of levy funding was allocated to future years. (MBIE (IVL annual report), Jun 2026)
  • The levy raised NZ$57.2 million in its first year, 2019/20, then NZ$2.7 million in 2020/21 and NZ$3.3 million in 2021/22, while the border was closed. (MBIE (IVL annual report), Jun 2026)

Revenue is for financial years to 30 June. The NZ$100 rate applied from October 2024, so 2024/25 is only part of a year at the new rate. Exemptions are not covered here.

Is New Zealand safe for visitors?

Crime has fallen since 2018 on the government's survey of residents, and violent crime is rare. Fewer adults feel completely safe than in 2018, though. There is no official crime series for visitors.

  • 28% of adults, about 1.2 million people, were victims of crime in the 12 months to October 2025, the lowest since the survey began in 2018, when it was 30%. (Ministry of Justice (NZCVS), Mar 2026)
  • 3% of adults were victims of violent offences in 2025, down from 4% in 2024 and 2018. (Ministry of Justice (NZCVS), Mar 2026)
  • 9% of households (184,000) were burgled in 2025, down from 12% (210,000) in 2018. (Ministry of Justice (NZCVS), Mar 2026)
  • 10% of adults (440,000) were victims of fraud and cybercrime in 2025, against 8% in 2018. (Ministry of Justice (NZCVS), Mar 2026)
  • Only about a quarter of crime is reported to the police. 25% of adults felt completely safe in 2025, down from 30% in 2018, and 12% felt unsafe. (Ministry of Justice (NZCVS 2025 report), Mar 2026)

The New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey asks about 8,000 residents aged 15 and over, so it does not cover visitors and gives no figures for tourist areas. It includes crimes not reported to the police. Feeling completely safe means a score of 10 out of 10, and unsafe a score of 0 to 6.

How many people take New Zealand's scenic trains and Cook Strait ferries?

The scenic trains carried more passengers in 2025/26, while the Interislander carried fewer after it cut to two ships. These are KiwiRail's own figures for its services only.

  • KiwiRail's Great Journeys trains, the TranzAlpine, Coastal Pacific and Northern Explorer, carried more than 190,000 passengers in the year to June 2026, 3% more than a year earlier, on more than 1,300 trips. (KiwiRail (Integrated Report 2026), Sep 2026)
  • Interislander ferries carried 473,000 passengers, 175,000 passenger vehicles and 68,000 commercial vehicles across Cook Strait in the year to June 2026, with two ships making around 2,600 sailings a year after the Aratere was retired. (KiwiRail (Integrated Report 2026), Sep 2026)
  • In the year to June 2025 the Interislander ran three ships, made 3,400 sailings and provided 600,000 passenger trips. (KiwiRail (Integrated Report 2025), 2025)

Figures are KiwiRail's, for its own trains and Interislander ferries; the private Bluebridge ferries are not included. The 2025 and 2026 reports word their ferry figures differently (passenger trips against passengers), so the two years are not compared. Road traffic and overseas-driver crash figures could not be reached.

Glossary

Stats NZ
Tatauranga Aotearoa, New Zealand's national statistics office, which publishes border arrivals, the tourism satellite account and the balance of payments.
MBIE
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, which runs the International Visitor Survey, the Accommodation Data Programme and the visitor levy.
Visitor arrival
An overseas resident arriving for less than 12 months, counted at the border. New Zealand citizens who live abroad count as visitors.
IVS
MBIE's International Visitor Survey of departing visitors, the source of spending per market and per visitor.
TSA
The tourism satellite account, Stats NZ's measure of tourism's size within the national accounts, including domestic tourism.
Travel exports
The balance-of-payments measure of goods and services bought by non-residents in New Zealand, including education-related travel and excluding airfares.
ADP
MBIE's Accommodation Data Programme, which covers commercial accommodation with six or more stay units.
RTO
Regional Tourism Organisation, the area used for regional accommodation figures.
Guest night
One guest staying one night. Two people staying three nights count as six guest nights.
IVL
The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, NZ$100 since October 2024.
NZeTA
The New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which visa-waiver visitors need before they travel.
DOC
The Department of Conservation, which manages national parks, the Great Walks and conservation huts and campsites.
Great Walks
DOC's premier multi-day tracks, such as the Milford, Routeburn and Abel Tasman Coast Track, which must be booked.
Bednight
One person staying one night in a DOC hut or campsite.
NZCVS
The New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey, the Ministry of Justice's yearly survey of residents.
NIWA
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, now part of Earth Sciences New Zealand, which publishes the climate averages.

Methodology and sources

Figures come from Stats NZ (border arrivals, the tourism satellite account and the balance of payments), MBIE (the International Visitor Survey, the Accommodation Data Programme and the visitor levy report), the Department of Conservation, Te Papa, NIWA, the Ministry of Justice, KiwiRail and the Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington airport companies, whose figures are labelled as their own. Each figure links to the document that carries it, with the date. Visitor arrivals include New Zealand citizens who live overseas, and we say so. Spending is given on three bases, MBIE's visitor survey, the satellite account and balance-of-payments travel exports, each in its own section, and they are not compared or charted together. Only MBIE's latest visitor survey release is used because the survey was recalibrated. MBIE has paused its regional tourism estimates, so no regional spending figures are given. Accommodation figures are monthly values as MBIE publishes them, with no annual totals of our own. Forecasts, targets and cruise figures that could not be checked against an official source are left out, and so are shares and growth rates we would have had to calculate. The page is reviewed monthly and the date is shown at the top.