Steady growth for domestic Tourism

Media Statement

Steady growth for domestic Tourism

Friday 23 May 2008 – For immediate release

Research just released by the Ministry of Tourism shows that New Zealand domestic travellers spent $7.6 billion in the year to December 2007, an increase of 1.6% compared to the same period the previous year.

“The year end result is a positive one for domestic tourism,” said Bruce Bassett, Ministry of Tourism Research Manager.

Mr Bassett said that with an annual average of four overnight trips for every New Zealander, and seven day trips, the scale of domestic tourism in New Zealand is substantial.

In the year to December 2007, the number of overnight trips increased by 1.1% to 14.9 million, while the number of day trips declined by 7.3% to 27.3 million.

“From the latter part of 2007, financial pressures such as rising fuel costs, interest rates and the weekly grocery bill will have been affecting discretionary spend. This is likely to influence tourism activity levels."

Mr Bassett added that while ebbs and flows in domestic tourism were to be expected, the domestic market remained sound overall and the major driver behind New Zealand’s tourism industry.

The Domestic Travel Survey is a telephone survey of 15,000 New Zealand residents undertaken throughout the year. A range of data and reports from the survey are available on the Ministry of Tourism’s research website – www.tourismresearch.govt.nz

ENDS

Ministry of Tourism:
www.tourism.govt.nz
www.tourismresearch.govt.nz

© Scoop Media