International visitors spending up five per cent in 2017

International visitors spending up five per cent in 2017

Spending by international visitors in New Zealand was $10.6 billion for the year to December 2017, according to the latest International Visitor Survey released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

MBIE’s manager of Sector Trends Mark Gordon says international visitor expenditure is at a record high, with an increase of five percent compared with the year ended December 2016.

“An increase in visitors from the United States has resulted in an 18 per cent rise in spending from this market to $1.3 billion. Over the last year there has been growing competition in the New Zealand to US air routes, with increased capacity for the summer season,” says Mr Gordon.

“Australian visitors remain the largest international market for spending in New Zealand, spending $2.6 billion over the year to December 2017. The next largest market was Chinese visitors who spent $1.5 billion.

“While international visitor arrivals continue to climb (up seven per cent over the year to December 2017), average spend per visitor has been steady. This is partly due to the value of the New Zealand dollar being relatively unchanged over this period. In the past we have seen that exchange rates do make a difference to how much international visitors are spending in New Zealand.”

The International Visitor Survey asks visitors to report on all of their spending, excluding international airfares. This includes all types of spending including cash, cards, tour packages and any spending before they arrived in New Zealand (e.g. booking accommodation online). The survey only includes expenditure by travellers aged 15+ and excludes individuals who are foreign-fee paying students.

For more information on the International Visitor Survey, visit: http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/sectors-industries/tourism/tourism-research-data/ivs

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