Tourists Spend $16.5 Billion in 2003

Tourists Spend $16.5 Billion in 2003

Tourism expenditure in New Zealand was $16.5 billion for the year ended March 2003, according to statistics released today by Statistics New Zealand. This was 5.8 percent higher than the tourism spending of $15.6 billion in 2002. The release also establishes that in the years ended March 2001 and 2000, tourists spent $15.1 billion and $13.7 billion, respectively.

Tourism expenditure includes spending in New Zealand by overseas visitors and by domestic household, business and government travellers. International tourism expenditure includes spending by international students studying in New Zealand for less than one year.

The international visitor share of total tourism expenditure was 45.0 percent (or $7.4 billion) in 2003. Households accounted for 43.3 percent ($7.2 billion), and business and government travellers 11.7 percent ($1.9 billion).

Other key tourism statistics show that: In 2003, direct tourism value added was $5.9 billion, which was 4.9 percent of the total industry ƒnƒncontribution to New Zealand's gross domestic product (GDP). When indirect flow-on effects are included, a further $5.6 billion value added was generated by ƒnƒnindustries supporting tourism. These flow-on effects occur when suppliers of tourism services (such as transport, accommodation and restaurant meals) purchase goods and services from their suppliers (for example, fuel, electricity, meat and vegetables).

An estimated 104,000 full-time equivalent employees were directly engaged in producing the ƒnƒngoods and services purchased by tourists in the year ended March 2003. Tourists paid $1.2 billion in GST on their purchases in the March 2003 year. ƒn

A report, Tourism Satellite Account 2000¡V2003, was also released today. It provides an updated analysis of the New Zealand tourism industry and explains the concepts and methodology used.

The report builds on, and is consistent with, the results in Provisional Tourism Satellite Account 2000¡V2002, which was published in May 2003.

These reports are part of an ongoing programme funded by the Ministry of Tourism to enhance understanding of the role tourism plays in New Zealand. Tourism Satellite Account 2000¡V2003 is available free from the Statistics New Zealand website (www.stats.govt.nz/tourism).

Brian Pink

Government Statistician

© Scoop Media