Hon Louise Upston
Minister for Tourism and Hospitality

A new $13.5 million investment in international tourism marketing is expected to deliver an extra 72,000 international visitors to our shores, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.

“The additional funding into Tourism New Zealand will drive international visitor numbers and will be targeted towards our core markets of Australia, the United States and China over the next few years” Louise Upston says.

“We know how important marketing is to attract visitors, with around 14 per cent of international holiday visitors directly influenced by Tourism New Zealand’s marketing activity.

“This is the first investment in the Government’s Tourism Growth Roadmap, which sets out a series of Government initiatives and investments for the Government and industry to work together to double the value of tourism exports by 2034.

“International visitors bring billions of dollars into the economy and these markets are the driving force behind our tourism sector.

“This investment is expected to generate around $300 million in spending, which is a very strong return on investment. International visitor numbers continue to climb and this boost will help drive further economic growth throughout the entire country.

“Encouraging more visitors means more people staying in our hotels, eating in our cafés, spending in our shops and visiting our attractions. This creates jobs and drives economic growth.

“We want people to know New Zealand is open for business and we welcome visitors with open arms.”

Funding comes from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) for 2025/26.

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