Total tourism expenditure was up 7.7 percent ($2.8 billion), following a 2.5 percent increase in the previous year, according to the 2018 Tourism satellite account.

International tourist spending increased to $16.2 billion, up 9.6 percent ($1.4 billion). The number of short-term arrivals to New Zealand increased 7.8 percent over the same period. “Continued strength in visitor numbers across key international markets, on the back of additional airline and cruise capacity, lifted spending by international tourists,” national accounts senior manager Susan Hollows said.

Spending by domestic tourists surged to $23.0 billion in the latest year, up 6.5 percent ($1.4 billion). “The boost in domestic tourist spending was underpinned by strong increases across the accommodation, hospitality, passenger transport, and retail sectors,” Mrs Hollows said.

Other key provisional estimates for the year ended March 2018:

• International tourism expenditure contributed 20.6 percent to New Zealand’s total exports of goods and services.
• Tourists generated $3.7 billion in goods and services tax (GST) revenue, with $1.7 billion coming from international tourists.
• Tourism generated a direct contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) of $15.9 billion, or 6.1 percent of GDP.
• The indirect value added of industries supporting tourism generated an additional $11.1 billion, or 4.3 percent of GDP.
• 216,012 people were directly employed in tourism (8.0 percent of the total number of people employed in New Zealand), an increase of 2.6 percent from the previous year.

Click here to view the Official Stats NZ website.

See also:

Queenstown’s highest altitude boutique hotel opens, Kāmana Lakehouse

Furneaux Lodge and Punga Cove Resort sold to Marlborough Tour Company

$29 million luxury hotel to open in Christchurch’s Arts Centre