People-to-people connections between New Zealand and the United States have continued to strengthen, as evidenced by recently published findings from Statistics NZ.
According to the Stats NZ data for February 2024, international travel patterns signalled the enduring connections between New Zealand and the United States.
The United States remains a key destination for New Zealand travellers, reflecting the appeal of American culture, business opportunities, and educational pursuits. In February 2024 alone, New Zealanders made approximately 72,000 trips to the United States, representing a 9% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Concurrently, inbound travel from the United States to New Zealand continued to foster tourism, cultural exchange and economic ties, with over forty-eight thousand American visitors arriving in New Zealand during the same month.
In the year to February 2024, of total overseas visitor arrivals into New Zealand of 3.11 million363,000 were from the USA, making it the second largest source of visitors behind Australia (1.27 million), and ahead of China (201,000).
In the 12 months to February 2024, New Zealand resident travellers returning from the United States increased by 65,000k to 167,000, behind Australia (1.1 million), Fiji (204,000) and ahead of China (120,000).
According to Tourism New Zealand’s Markets Overview (to June 2023), as New Zealand’s second-largest tourism market, the US contributed 15% of total holiday arrivals. In that period, US visitors spent $718 million while in New Zealand, and California led as the primary source of tourists, accounting for 21% of US arrivals.
Seasonal trends showed 47% of US visitors arrived in summer and 4% in winter, reflecting year-round appeal. 40% of US visitors stayed 8-14 days, favouring immersive experiences like adventure tourism, Māori cultural experiences, as well as New Zealand’s food and wine offerings.
We look forward to the continued growth of NZ-US travel over the next few years, supported by excellent airline connections, leading up to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
See the full reports:
Stats NZ: www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/international-travel-february-2024/
Tourism New Zealand: www.tourismnewzealand.com/insights/markets-overview/ | Full article: www.tourismnewzealand.com/assets/insights/market-overview/20090-TNZ-InternationalMarket-US-v3.pdf