WELLINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand tourism continued to strengthen in July, with international visitor arrivals exceeding pre-pandemic levels, a government agency said on Monday.
The country recorded 256,600 overseas tourist arrivals in July 2026, up 8.5 percent from the same month last year and surpassing July 2019 levels, according to figures released by Stats NZ.
New Zealand welcomed 3.69 million international visitors in the year to July, an increase of 9 percent from the previous year, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said in a statement.
Australia remained New Zealand's largest visitor market, with a record 134,900 Australians arriving in July, up 6 percent from a year earlier, Upston said.
Visitor arrivals from China increased by 5,400, or 25 percent, from July 2025, while arrivals from the United States rose 12 percent to 1,700, the statistics department said.
Upston said the latest figures showed international tourism was continuing to build momentum and helping drive economic growth across the country.
New Zealand is aiming to double the value of its tourism exports by 2034, supporting businesses, jobs and local communities, she said. ■