Tourism data
Promising signs in Australian and Chinese arrivals numbers in July
11 Sept 2024
Our take on the latest Tourism data (Wed 11 Sept 2024)
Total arrivals up 3.8%pa
Chinese visitors jump to 92% of pre-pandemic levels in July 2024
Queenstown Airport arrivals at 110% of pre-pandemic levels
The key numbers...
- Tourism arrivals totalled 221,837 in July 2024, up 3.8%pa from July 2023, but remain at 87% of pre-pandemic levels, the same as June 2024.
- Tourism arrivals from Australia totalled 109,018 in July 2024, up 12% from July 2023, amounting to 88% of pre-pandemic levels. Australians accounted for 41% of all tourism arrivals over the year to July 2024, however, as the market has matured, they only accounted for 12% of growth.
- Tourism arrivals from China totalled 25,947 in July 2024, up 63% from July 2023. Recovery of tourism arrivals from China had lagged other markets, however, Chinese arrivals hit an impressive 92% of pre-pandemic levels in July 2024, compared to 56% in July 2023.
- Tourism arrivals from the United States totalled 14,754 in July 2024, down 47% from a particularly strong July 2023. The United States had been one of our strongest tourism markets post-pandemic, however, United States arrivals amounted to 86% of pre-pandemic levels in July 2024 and have ranged around that level for the past four months.
- Queenstown Airport arrivals reached 110% of pre-pandemic levels, with Auckland trailing at 85%. Christchurch and Wellington arrivals are at 72% and 70% of pre-pandemic levels respectively.
Australian and Chinese tourism strong in July
Monthly tourism arrivals, % of pre-pandemic (2019) levels
...and our reaction
- Australian arrivals remain particularly strong, which is good news for the tourism sector, especially Queenstown which is receiving more visitors directly from Australia than before the pandemic. Although Australian arrivals dipped below 90% of pre-pandemic levels, there were still 11,500 more Australian tourists in July 2024 than July 2023.
- There is still some way to go for tourism arrivals to really make the sector thrive again, with arrivals still at 87% of pre-pandemic levels, reflecting that finances are still tight for consumers around the globe, limiting their discretionary spending.
- While the uptake in Chinese arrivals to 92% of pre-pandemic levels is worth celebrating, it remains to be seen whether this strong result will be sustained in coming months given the Chinese economy remains sluggish.
- With the Government recently announcing an increase in the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) from $35 to $100 in October, only time will tell if this has any impact on incentives for tourists deciding whether to venture here.
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