2026.04.1323:06:29UTC+00New Zealand Tourist Arrivals Soar 15.2% YoY

Visitor arrivals to New Zealand rose 15.2% year-on-year to 408,142 in February 2026, accelerating from a 4.1% increase in January. The stronger growth was largely driven by the timing of the Chinese New Year, which fell in mid-February this year. Arrivals from China surged by 41,700 to reach a record high for the month of February at 61,100, making the largest contribution to the overall increase. Other key markets also recorded gains, including Australia (up 6,500), Taiwan (up 6,100), the UK (up 1,400), and Hong Kong (up 1,400). By contrast, arrivals from the U.S. declined by 7,600, while those from South Korea fell by 1,200, partially offsetting the broader growth. Overall, overseas visitor arrivals recovered to 98% of pre-pandemic levels, compared with 417,900 in February 2019. Australians remained the largest source of visitors, accounting for 31% of the total, followed by China (15%), the U.S. (14%), and the UK (8%), underscoring the ongoing recovery in international tourism demand.