Monthly number of international visitor arrivals to New Zealand 2019-2024
In the month of June 2024, there were over 185 thousand international visitor arrivals to New Zealand, marking an increase from the same month of 2023, with around 178 thousand international arrivals. The significant recovery in visitor numbers from March 2022 onwards can be attributed to New Zealand re-opening its borders to travelers after a two-year COVID-19 lockout.
International tourism in New Zealand
From its picturesque shorelines to its striking mountain ranges, New Zealand has become an appealing destination for international tourists. Auckland, New Zealand’s North Island metropolis, alongside Christchurch, Queenstown, Rotorua, and Wellington, are some of the most popular destinations for international visitors in the country. In 2024, the largest groups of overseas arrivals into the country traveled from Australia, the United States, and China. That year, the number of visitors from China to New Zealand witnessed a large recovery, growing by over 170 thousand arrivals from the year 2023. The leading reasons for visiting New Zealand remain to go on holiday or to visit friends or relatives.
Tourism sector recovery in New Zealand
From April 2020 to February 2022, New Zealand’s international tourist numbers plummeted, witnessing a short-lived recovery between April and July 2021, with tourism industry owners emphasizing the importance of international travel to New Zealand's tourism sector recovery. In 2023 and 2024, the country’s international tourism sector showed strong signs of recovery, with international visitor numbers leaping from just over 309 thousand in 2022 to over three million in 2024. While this is still not quite at the pre-pandemic high witnessed in 2019, it is safe to say that New Zealand’s international travel sector is back on track.
