International visitor arrivals to Aotearoa continue climbing, with new figures showing overseas tourism numbers reached their highest March levels since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Stats NZ says 358,900 international visitors arrived in New Zealand during March 2026 — an increase of 47,100 people, or 15 percent, compared with March last year.
The figures represent the strongest March visitor numbers since 2019, highlighting the ongoing recovery of the tourism and hospitality sectors.
Australia remained New Zealand’s biggest source of overseas visitors, with arrivals from across the Tasman rising by more than 24,000 compared with the same period last year.
Strong growth was also recorded from China, the United States and the United Kingdom, reflecting renewed international travel demand and improved flight connections into New Zealand.
Visitor arrivals from the United States reached a record high for a March month, while arrivals from China continued rebounding following easing travel restrictions and immigration changes.
Stats NZ says total visitor arrivals are now sitting at around 95 percent of pre-pandemic March levels.
Tourism Minister Louise Upston says rising visitor numbers are helping inject money into local businesses, accommodation providers, hospitality operators and regional economies across the country.
The tourism sector remains one of New Zealand’s largest export earners and a major source of employment, particularly for regions reliant on hospitality, cultural tourism and international travel.
Māori tourism operators are also expected to benefit from the continued recovery, with cultural experiences and authentic Indigenous tourism increasingly promoted as key attractions for international visitors.
The latest figures come despite disruptions to some international flight routes linked to conflict in the Middle East, which affected direct travel connections from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates during March.
Annual figures show New Zealand welcomed 3.63 million international visitors in the year ending March 2026, up more than 300,000 on the previous year.
