Record number of Australian visitors boosts NZ tourism

New Zealand tourism numbers are continuing to strengthen, with international visitor arrivals for July exceeding 2019 levels, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says. Figures released today by Statistics New Zealand show 256,600 overseas visitor arrivals in July 2026, up 8.5 percent on July 2025 and surpassing July 2019 numbers. “As we work to grow our second-largest export, today’s data shows that international tourism is continuing to build momentum. More visitors are choosing New Zealand as a destination and that is helping drive economic growth across the country,” Louise Upston says. “We’ve welcomed 3.69 million arrivals in the year to July – up 9 percent on the year prior. These results are another positive step towards our goal of doubling the value of tourism exports by 2034, supporting businesses, jobs, and our local communities. “It is particularly encouraging to see continued growth from some of our key international markets. Australia remains our largest visitor market, and it's fantastic to see a record number of our Aussie mates crossing the ditch in July.” Visitor arrivals from Australia increased by 6 percent on July last year, reaching 134,900 visitors.