International Visitors to New Zealand Rise 15% in March 2026, Boosting Economy

New data showing international visitor numbers continue to grow shows confidence is increasing in the sector, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.

New international travel figures released by Stats NZ today show 358,900 international visitors arrived in March 2026, up 15.1 per cent on the same time last year, approaching closer to the number of visitors we were receiving in 2019.

Louise Upston says more visitors means more money flowing into New Zealand.

More visitors means more people staying in our hotels, eating at local cafes, booking tours and shopping in our towns and cities. That supports jobs and helps businesses and our wider economy grow.

Our mates in Australia remain our biggest source of visitors, with 138,360 people arriving in March, up 21 per cent on the same time last year.

There was also strong growth from other key tourism markets, including an 8.3 per cent increase in visitors from the United States (53,390 visitors) and a 20 per cent increase in visitors from China (24,620 visitors).

Annual figures show we welcomed 3.63 million international visitors in the year ending March 2026, up 9.2 per cent percent on the previous year.

Tourism is our second largest export earner, and when it does well, New Zealand does well.

Every extra visitor helps support jobs, from hospitality workers and tour guides to retail staff and transport operators.

These numbers are also encouraging given the fuel crisis, which has led to some uncertainty that could have affected people’s travel plans. I continue to monitor the situation and work closely with industry to ensure New Zealand retains its appeal.