Tourism employs 216,000 Kiwis

The Tourism Satellite Account 2018 (TSA) released today by Stats NZ shows tourism directly employs 216,000 Kiwis and contributes $39.1 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an estimated $16.2 billion from international visitors.

“Tourism is the backbone of many communities, providing employment and significant economic contribution,” says Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive, Stephen England-Hall.

“Tourism is a dynamic sector that offers a range of career paths, it’s fantastic to see that so many Kiwis are gaining skills and experience through being part of it.”

The TSA also shows that value of the visitor is increasing with spend higher than visitor numbers.

“Visitor spend continues to out-grow visitor arrival numbers at 6.3 percent versus 3.6 percent, showing that the value of our visitors is increasing.

“The tourism dollar is valuable, its spent at local shops, cafes and community services around the country helping support and grow our communities and regions.”

Tourism contributed $1.5 billion of spending on a variety of community services, including doctors, car repairs, and laundromats.

“Tourism New Zealand works to attract visitors who incorporate the regions into their itinerary and visit in the off-peak seasons. It’s fantastic to see this and the work of New Zealand’s wider tourism sector contribute to regional growth.”

Key figures:

• Total international visitor arrivals YE Sep 2018: 3.8 million

• Total visitor arrival growth YOY: 3.6%

• Total visitor spend growth YOY: 6.3%

• Top six visitor markets: Australia, China, USA, UK, Germany, Japan

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