As the tourism industry heads into its second summer of recovery, post-COVID-19, the total tourism spending is as strong as pre-pandemic levels, boding well for the economy.
The Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates (MRTEs) by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) show that $30 billion was spent by international and domestic visitors in the year to September 2023.
"The spending data shows the tourism industry is strongly recovering, but also that the industry's contribution was far-reaching," said Rebecca Ingram, Chief Executive of Tourism Industry Aotearoa.
"The contribution of visitors makes a difference to communities across the country. It's a signal of coffees being drunk, experiences being enjoyed and valuable employment in regions."
International visitors spent $5.9 billion more than in 2022 but less than the $12.2 billion they spent over the same period in 2019. On the other hand, domestic visitors' spending was more substantial than the $17.9 billion they spent in 2019.
"The MRTEs provide reliable indicator data on how tourism spending is going across the country, allowing regions to track progress over time and to understand their tourism customers."
While total tourism spending is positive, international tourism spending is still recovering, at just over 76 percent of the 2019 level, and this quality data from the MRTEs is essential for understanding the industry and economy.
