Driving visitor growth and business events

The Government will build on tourism growth by targeting more marketing in Australia, the United States and China, alongside attracting more business events to New Zealand.

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says investing in these markets will bring more visitors and drive economic growth.

“The Government is focused on growing the economy so Kiwis can get ahead, and as our second largest export, tourism is a crucial part of that,” Louise Upston says.

“We set ambitious goals: return international visitor numbers to at least pre-pandemic (2019) levels by 2026, and double the value of 2023 tourism exports in ten years.

“We’re making strong progress. Stats NZ data in June showed international visitors were up about 8 per cent on last year - we're now at 94 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. MBIE data also shows that, from March 2024 to March 2026, overseas visitor spend increased by $2.5 billion to $13.7 billion.

“This shows our investment through Tourism New Zealand is paying off for Kiwis.

“But today we’re putting the pedal to the metal — building on that momentum to drive growth, jobs and incomes.”

The Government will make a one-off $4 million investment to boost Tourism New Zealand’s marketing in Australia, the United States and China.

“It makes sense to back the sector’s strong growth and encourage more people to choose New Zealand for their next holiday.”

An additional one-off $1 million will support attracting more business events.

“Business events are a high-value part of our visitor mix, bringing people who spend more, travel outside peak seasons, and help build skills and connections across our economy,” Louise Upston says.

“Multi-day conferences supported $925 million in economic activity in 2025 and generated more than 735,000 international visitor nights. This funding will help maintain a strong pipeline of international conferences.

“While the recent fuel crisis may affect travel plans, we’re working closely with the sector to ensure New Zealand remains an attractive destination.

“These investments will help attract more visitors sooner and deliver real benefits for communities across New Zealand.

“I’ll have more to say soon about investments to meet growing demand.”

Notes to Editor

Funding comes from the International Visitor (Conservation and Tourism) Levy and is one-off funding for the 2026/27 financial year.
The $4 million will expand Tourism New Zealand’s existing international marketing activity in those key markets, rather than new campaigns.
The $1 million will go towards Tourism New Zealand’s Conference Assistance Programme: Tourism New Zealand's Conference Assistance Programme | Business Events ...