Sunny Days Ahead: More International Visitors Choose New Zealand

As summer season is nearing, the country looks ready for an even busier season. With its breathtaking landscapes, friendly locals and a tourism industry ready to shine again, New Zealand is firmly back on the travel map  and the world is clearly taking notice.

After a few quiet years, it is fair to say that New Zealand’s world-famous sceneries and landscapes are buzzing again. From full hotels to busy cafes and packed adventure tours, the country is welcoming back international visitors in impressive numbers and recent data shows things are only getting brighter.

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston has every reason to smile. According to new figures, international visitor arrivals in August 2025 were up 7.5% compared with the same time last year. What is clear is the momentum, the country is now sitting at 88% of its December 2019 visitor numbers, almost closer to pre-COVID levels.

“International tourism, as New Zealand’s second-highest export earner, is a key part of our economic recovery,” Minister Upston said.

And that growth is visible across the country. More travellers mean restaurants with full tables, hotels fully booked and more people exploring local attractions from Queenstown’s mountains to Rotorua’s hot springs. It’s a lift that’s creating jobs and reviving communities that rely heavily on tourism.

According to a recent International Travel and Migration (ITM) report from Statistics New Zealand, a massive number of 230,300 international visitors arrived in August alone. The breakdown shows 52% came from Australia, 9% from China and 5% from the United States, three of the country’s biggest travel markets.

The mood within the industry mirrors that optimism. A new Tourism Industry Association survey found that 86% of tourism businesses feel confident about the year ahead, a solid 11% increase on last year’s sentiment.

“We know the benefits a thriving tourism and hospitality sector brings to our economy, supporting local regions and communities,” she said.

Minister Upston noted that this confidence is backed by action. The Government has been investing in tourism initiatives throughout the year to help attract more travellers and strengthen New Zealand’s position as a top global destination.