This photo taken on Sept. 30, 2023 shows Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, New Zealand. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)
The year ending December 2023 recorded 2.96 million overseas visitor arrivals in New Zealand, about 76 percent of the pre-pandemic level in 2019.
WELLINGTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's international tourism is continuing to rebound and steadily returning to pre-pandemic levels, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey said on Wednesday.
Results from the International Visitor Survey published on Tuesday showed for the year ending December 2023, international visitors spent 9.9 billion NZ dollars (6.03 billion U.S. dollars) in New Zealand, indicating the tourism industry is continuing to recover, Doocey said.
This places international tourism as New Zealand's second biggest export earner behind milk powder, butter and cheese.
"While the economy faces significant challenges, tourism will play a critical role in our recovery," he said, adding rebounding international tourism is fantastic news for communities and businesses who directly benefit from tourist expenditure.
Tourists enjoy themselves in Wanaka, New Zealand, Sept. 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)
The year ending December 2023 recorded 2.96 million overseas visitor arrivals, about 76 percent of the pre-pandemic level in 2019.
In the meantime, tourist expenditure remained at 71 percent of pre-pandemic levels, once adjusted for inflation. This was due to a range of factors, including a higher number of visitors staying with friends and family, and a large number of Australian visitors, who tend to spend less, according to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment that conducted the survey.
For 2023, German visitors spent the most during their stay, Doocey said.■
