International visitors to New Zealand spent a total of $9.7 billion for the year ending December 2015, a 31 per cent increase from the previous period, a survey released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) indicated.
There was a significant increase in total spending by visitors from China, which is an estimated 63-per cent increase from the previous year; a 40-per cent increase from the US and 35 per cent from the UK. “Spending by visitors from Australia, New Zealand’s largest market, increased 19 per cent (to $3,440),” said Peter Ellis, MBIE’s sector trends manager.
“The main contributing factor is the continued increase in per person spend (up 19 per cent to $3,440), which is returning to a level similar to that before the global financial crisis,” Ellis said.
Ellis added the price drop in international airfares may also be contributing to the increased spend per person as well as exchange rates, with the pound sterling, Chinese yuan and United States dollar all strengthening against the New Zealand dollar during the period.
The International Visitor Survey measures the expenditure and travel patterns of international visitors to New Zealand. Data includes expenditure, places visited, activities/attractions, accommodation and transport. It is based on results from approximately 9,500 visitors departing New Zealand airports, with data released by MBIE.
