Tourism - A Major New Zealand Industry
Last updated:
September 2008
Tourism and New Zealand’s economy
(from the NZTS 2015)
Tourism is important for New Zealand’s future economic growth. It contributes $18.6 billion to the economy each year—9% of New Zealand’s gross domestic product. It is also an important source of employment. One in every 10 New Zealanders works in the tourism industry.
Tourism is our largest export sector. International visitors contribute $8.3 billion to the economy each year, which accounts for 19.2% of export earnings. During 2006, 2.4 million international visitors arrived in New Zealand.
Unlike other export sectors, which make products and sell them overseas, tourism brings its customers to New Zealand. The product we are selling is New Zealand itself—the people, the places, the food, the wine, the experiences.
Domestic visitors are also a vital part of the tourism industry. They contribute $10.3 billion to the economy each year, and they help sustain tourism businesses during the low season. Product development for the domestic market provides a springboard for building export capability.
The future growth of tourism in New Zealand
(from the NZTS 2015)
Tourism is a large and growing part of the global economy. In 2006 there were 842 million international arrivals, an increase of 4.9% on the previous year. Total international expenditure on tourism was US$735 billion, an increase of 8.5%.
In the global context, New Zealand is a very small player, with just 0.3% of international arrivals and 0.6% of international tourism expenditure.
New Zealand’s international visitor arrivals have doubled since 1993, and they are expected to continue keep growing at a rate of about 4% a year. Domestic tourism is expected to grow more slowly—by about 0.8% annually. Income from international tourism is forecast to overtake that of domestic tourism by 2011. Visit the Ministry's Research website for up to date research.
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