New Zealand Tourism Hits $46.6B in Spending, Boosts Jobs and Economy

The Government welcomes data out today showing New Zealand’s tourism sector continues to go from strength to strength, driving billions into the economy.

The Tourism Satellite Account released by Stats NZ shows total tourism expenditure in New Zealand of $46.6 billion for the year ending March 2025, an increase of $1.5 billion or 3.3 per cent compared to March 2024.

Overseas visitor expenditure increased by $1.2 billion (7 per cent) to $18.1 billion. This is reflected in the jump of overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand, which increased 4.3 per cent to 3,320,687 people.

According to this data, total tourism employment increased 2.8 per cent (8,874 people) to 327,888 people. Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.

This means that 1 in 9 people are now employed in the tourism and hospitality industries, showing the importance our Government’s commitment to growing tourism has to employment growth across New Zealand.

Tourism contributes 7.7 percent of GDP – and continues to be our second highest export.

Whether it’s New Zealand’s natural beauty, our warm hospitality or our world‑class experiences, the continued growth in tourism spending shows that people see real value in coming here – and they want to stay longer and explore more.

These results highlight exactly why the Government is focused on growing our tourism and hospitality sector. We’ve introduced a $70 million Major Events and Tourism Package, allowed more people to visit New Zealand on an NZeTA rather than needing a visitor visa and invested in attracting more international visitors.

Increased visitor spending flows directly into our regions, supports local jobs, and creates opportunities for communities and businesses up and down the country.

The strength of our tourism industry is clear to see – tourism is a key part of our plan to fix the basics and build the future. New Zealand is open for business and international visitors are returning to our shores, giving a major boost to tourism and hospitality, Louise Upston says.