Our take on the latest Tourism data (Thu 13 Nov 2025)
Tourism arrivals rose 2.9% in September from August 2025 (seasonally adjusted)
Tourism arrivals rose 6.1% over year to September 2025
Tourism arrivals at 95% of pre-pandemic levels in September 2025
The key numbers...
- Tourism arrivals grew for the third consecutive month, rising 2.9% in September, following growth of at least 2.4% in each of the previous two months (all figures seasonally adjusted). Monthly arrivals in September were 95% of September 2019 levels, the highest monthly share of pre-pandemic levels since COVID-19.
- Arrivals over the year to September 2025 were 6.1% higher than the year to September 2024. The rate of recovery had been decelerating consistently until July when growth picked back up.
- Visitor arrivals to all major international airports saw growth in September from a year ago, led by Christchurch (22%pa), followed by Wellington (11%pa), Queenstown (9.2%pa), and Auckland (5.5%pa). Annual arrivals continue to recover strongly at Christchurch Airport, and are now at 85% of pre-pandemic levels, up from 73% in the year to September 2024.
- Departures of NZ tourists grew 4.4% in September from August (seasonally adjusted). Annual departures of NZ tourists have remained about pre-pandemic levels for all of 2025 after surpassing 2019 levels in January.
Tourism recovery at 95%, driven by Aussie arrivals
Monthly tourism arrivals, % of pre-pandemic (2019) levels
...and our reaction
- Another strong month of tourism arrivals in September results in total arrivals for the quarter coming in line with our October 2025 forecasts. We highlighted the potential for Australian arrivals to continue to gather strength given increases in the number of Trans-Tasman flights.
- The influence of short holidays from Australians in NZ was evident in the average length of stay in September, which was just 75% of September 2019 (pre-pandemic levels). The average stay of 12 days was the lowest on record (data since January 1980).
- The recovery is being driven by strong arrivals from Australia, although annual arrivals have not quite reached pre-pandemic levels yet, sitting at 96%. Only four of the 18 major tourism markets that we track are above pre-pandemic levels, led by India (121%), Fiji (117%), the United States (104%), and Taiwan (100%).
- A particularly weak recovery in our third and fourth largest tourism markets is weighing on the overall pick-up. Arrivals from China (60%) and the United Kingdom (82%) remain downbeat.
- As the Reserve Bank has been cutting interest rates faster than central banks overseas, the NZ dollar has depreciated significantly against other currencies. The NZ dollar is at a 12-year low against the Aussie dollar and a three-year low against the US dollar (excluding brief stints at lower points in December 2024 and February 2025). The weak dollar is likely to help tourism arrivals to NZ, particularly from our two largest tourism markets, due to improved affordability from greater purchasing power of foreign currency.
Latest updates
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Tourism data
Tourism arrivals keep slowly growing
Thu 22 Jan 2026
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Tourism arrivals grew 0.8% in November from October 2025 (seasonally adjusted)Tourism arrivals rose 8.2% over the year to November 2025
Tourism arrivals at 93% of pre-pandemic levels in November 2025Premium
Tourism data
Tourism recovery slows a touch in October
Wed 10 Dec 2025
Monthly
Tourism arrivals rose 0.6% in October from September 2025 (seasonally adjusted)Tourism arrivals rose 6.3% over year to October 2025Tourism arrivals at 93% of pre-pandemic levels in October 2025Tourism data
Further growth in tourist arrivals in August
Mon 13 Oct 2025
Monthly
Tourism arrivals rose 2.2% in August from July 2025 (seasonally adjusted)Tourism arrivals rose 5.5% over year to July 2025Tourism arrivals at 92% of pre-pandemic levels in August 2025