WELLINGTON, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand saw an increase of 30 percent in visitor spending while visitor numbers increased by 17 percent for the year ending September 2024, the latest International Visitor Survey showed on Tuesday.
The boost highlights the ongoing recovery of New Zealand's tourism sector, with the economy benefiting from the shifting trends in international visitation, said Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey.
The International Visitor Survey showed a continued shift towards higher spending visitors, with the median daily spend per visitor up 10 percent, Doocey said.
International visitors spent 11.7 billion NZ dollars in New Zealand for the year ending September 2024, including 1.9 billion NZ dollars in the September 2024 quarter alone, statistics showed.
The government has focused on encouraging off-peak visits and regional tourism, which benefits tourism and hospitality businesses across the country, Doocey said.
A tourism growth roadmap, expected to be finalized early next year, will implement further tourism growth initiatives to support the sector bouncing back quicker, he said. (1 NZ dollar equals 0.59 U.S. dollar) ■
