International Travel 10 July

International travel covers the number and characteristics of overseas visitors and New Zealand resident travellers (short-term movements) entering or leaving New Zealand.

Key facts

Monthly arrivals - overseas visitors
Monthly arrivals - New Zealand-resident travellers
Annual arrivals
Border crossings
Resumption of seasonally adjusted and trend series

Monthly arrivals - overseas visitors

Overseas visitor arrivals were 179,700 in the May 2024 month, increasing by 19,300 from the May 2023 month. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:

  • Australia (up 9,300)
  • China (up 5,400)
  • Taiwan (up 1,700)
  • United States (up 1,000)
  • India (down 1,000).

The May 2024 number of overseas visitor arrivals was 82 percent of the pre-COVID-19 number of 219,300 in May 2019.

Of the 179,700 overseas visitor arrivals in May 2024:

  • 46 percent were from Australia (compared with 42 percent in May 2019)
  • 9 percent were from the United States (8 percent in May 2019)
  • 8 percent were from China (13 percent in May 2019)
  • 5 percent were from India (3 percent in May 2019)
  • 3 percent were from the United Kingdom (3 percent in May 2019).
Month-YearActualSeasonally adjusted
May-2014161355235750
Jun-2014162122236630
Jul-2014196856240680
Aug-2014188849237310
Sep-2014193329236820
Oct-2014210597243890
Nov-2014270408246380
Dec-2014402518247820
Jan-2015302432246140
Feb-2015343457265420
Mar-2015291784250900
Apr-2015237966255520
May-2015176697258160
Jun-2015176961261480
Jul-2015207984254320
Aug-2015202879261140
Sep-2015216984268140
Oct-2015229379264070
Nov-2015300521270510
Dec-2015444883272410
Jan-2016343446279160
Feb-2016373376278240
Mar-2016344387285620
Apr-2016256685283700
May-2016193643285810
Jun-2016196223287240
Jul-2016237872297000
Aug-2016221181291520
Sep-2016245089298890
Oct-2016260246300850
Nov-2016333598297360
Dec-2016494193298760
Jan-2017381068303590
Feb-2017380034299370
Mar-2017343799307680
Apr-2017311866319920
May-2017209170312750
Jun-2017230088339280
Jul-2017246945312470
Aug-2017233991307930
Sep-2017252746310910
Oct-2017270515310630
Nov-2017360136312800
Dec-2017513349309340
Jan-2018379228311700
Feb-2018423456324940
Mar-2018388327322210
Apr-2018283910318280
May-2018222079332210
Jun-2018212245319980
Jul-2018250523319920
Aug-2018246682322560
Sep-2018258155318080
Oct-2018283568325270
Nov-2018385789326890
Dec-2018529255318560
Jan-2019399346324880
Feb-2019417934320100
Mar-2019378270344760
Apr-2019307409323530
May-2019219331329260
Jun-2019213536327530
Jul-2019255585330630
Aug-2019251131326210
Sep-2019261770323520
Oct-2019283834319960
Nov-2019372108312250
Dec-2019528219315500
Jan-2020410778319030
Feb-2020372745286730
Mar-2020175521175520
Apr-202017211720
May-202021892190
Jun-202035213520
Jul-202034813480
Aug-202047824780
Sep-202055195520
Oct-202050735070
Nov-202051165120
Dec-202059045900
Jan-202154485450
Feb-202152975300
Mar-202146394640
Apr-20213193131930
May-20215760557600
Jun-20215159051590
Jul-20213020930210
Aug-202126762680
Sep-202123102310
Oct-202136873690
Nov-202153095310
Dec-202161616160
Jan-202240334030
Feb-202252355240
Mar-20222862428620
Apr-20225430354300
May-20227275572760
Jun-20229464894650
Jul-2022134175134180
Aug-2022129753129750
Sep-2022151270151270
Oct-2022161636161640
Nov-2022232684232680
Dec-2022364716364720
Jan-2023268298208520
Feb-2023268704216120
Mar-2023266131247450
Apr-2023221271244080
May-2023160335253680
Jun-2023178426271640
Jul-2023213806275680
Aug-2023206783266460
Sep-2023224909271790
Oct-2023225979253590
Nov-2023303429250950
Dec-2023418869243900
Jan-2024326427265950
Feb-2024362836269460
Mar-2024340306295120
Apr-2024225024269040
May-2024179665279890
Month-YearNZ-resident travellersOverseas visitors
Jan-20222.61
Feb-20224.51.3
Mar-202215.77.6
Apr-202226.617.7
May-202238.733.2
Jun-202240.844.3
Jul-202248.552.5
Aug-202260.551.7
Sep-20226157.8
Oct-202263.256.9
Nov-202275.862.5
Dec-202265.469
Jan-202374.967.2
Feb-20238464.3
Mar-20238370.4
Apr-202386.572
May-202386.673.1
Jun-202382.583.6
Jul-202384.983.7
Aug-202384.882.3
Sep-202391.185.9
Oct-202395.479.6
Nov-202397.181.5
Dec-202388.379.3
Jan-2024102.281.7
Feb-2024107.386.8
Mar-202497.690
Apr-202499.573.2
May-20249581.9

Monthly arrivals - New Zealand-resident travellers

New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals were 223,400 in the May 2024 month, increasing by 19,800 from the May 2023 month. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:

  • Australia (up 10,500)
  • China (up 3,700)
  • Indonesia (up 1,800)
  • Japan (up 1,700)
  • Cook Islands (up 1,600).

The May 2024 number of New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals was 95 percent of the pre-COVID-19 number of 235,200 in May 2019.

Of the 223,400 New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals in May 2024:

  • 42 percent were from Australia (compared with 43 percent in May 2019)
  • 7 percent were from Fiji (7 percent in May 2019)
  • 6 percent were from the United States (8 percent in May 2019)
  • 5 percent were from China (5 percent in May 2019)
  • 4 percent were from the Cook Islands (4 percent in May 2019)
  • 4 percent were from the United Kingdom (4 percent in May 2019).
Month-YearActualSeasonally adjusted
May-2014196231195030
Jun-2014189792193390
Jul-2014247393193060
Aug-2014217096193790
Sep-2014209771194580
Oct-2014254701196860
Nov-2014182726198950
Dec-2014136259194880
Jan-2015246806201320
Feb-2015143015194640
Mar-2015162966210260
Apr-2015198714204990
May-2015189138207360
Jun-2015201422205860
Jul-2015266351208010
Aug-2015232600206500
Sep-2015219293203310
Oct-2015271450209550
Nov-2015192971211190
Dec-2015144173210530
Jan-2016262570209260
Feb-2016159399209580
Mar-2016164752210880
Apr-2016194126217650
May-2016214781220110
Jun-2016214579221860
Jul-2016286053218320
Aug-2016247585221370
Sep-2016240404224570
Oct-2016294808225830
Nov-2016206046226990
Dec-2016156094229190
Jan-2017288306227300
Feb-2017184547252110
Mar-2017179276238060
Apr-2017221345235720
May-2017220392230980
Jun-2017224810233860
Jul-2017311944235070
Aug-2017258628235000
Sep-2017259036240960
Oct-2017319931243860
Nov-2017214488240150
Dec-2017167066241380
Jan-2018316840248530
Feb-2018176835241340
Mar-2018183140243460
Apr-2018235936247310
May-2018231669252640
Jun-2018244680249810
Jul-2018345136259840
Aug-2018284801260290
Sep-2018278617256880
Oct-2018326229249930
Nov-2018221845251280
Dec-2018174279249280
Jan-2019320945254560
Feb-2019190597259920
Mar-2019194989255130
Apr-2019243302251490
May-2019235169264210
Jun-2019257310259460
Jul-2019340250255180
Aug-2019284520259770
Sep-2019279754258370
Oct-2019326409254620
Nov-2019233660261590
Dec-2019194522278990
Jan-2020326341260600
Feb-2020190541249050
Mar-2020136721136720
Apr-202040354040
May-202026262630
Jun-202044744470
Jul-202031073110
Aug-202032953300
Sep-202027232720
Oct-202029272930
Nov-202024682470
Dec-202026352640
Jan-202135923590
Feb-202130333030
Mar-202128572860
Apr-20211008410080
May-20212901929020
Jun-20212963829640
Jul-20213651736520
Aug-20211339813400
Sep-202132103210
Oct-202137793780
Nov-202133643360
Dec-202143884390
Jan-202284758480
Feb-202286048600
Mar-20223058830590
Apr-20226474164740
May-20229096490960
Jun-2022105110105110
Jul-2022165003165000
Aug-2022172269172270
Sep-2022170754170750
Oct-2022206321206320
Nov-2022177010177010
Dec-2022127287127290
Jan-2023240401189840
Feb-2023160075212700
Mar-2023161937212860
Apr-2023210446209490
May-2023203641231500
Jun-2023212221216240
Jul-2023288827216030
Aug-2023241236223030
Sep-2023254869236340
Oct-2023311415239740
Nov-2023226814256280
Dec-2023171772249640
Jan-2024328125260390
Feb-2024204549264220
Mar-2024190278245430
Apr-2024242133264170
May-2024223400236640

Annual arrivals

Overseas visitor arrivals were 3.21 million in the May 2024 year, increasing by 753,000 from the May 2023 year. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:

  • China (up 175,000 to 226,000)
  • United States (up 122,000 to 377,000)
  • Australia (up 82,000 to 1.3 million)
  • Korea (up 34,000 to 70,000)
  • India (up 33,000 to 86,000)
  • Japan (up 30,000 to 61,000).

New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals were 2.90 million in the May 2024 year, increasing by 795,000 from the May 2023 year. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:

  • Australia (up 324,000 to 1.16 million)
  • China (up 104,000 to 134,000)
  • United States (up 43,000 to 169,000)
  • Japan (up 38,000 to 65,000)
  • Indonesia (up 32,000 to 62,000)
  • Fiji (up 32,000 to 207,000).

Border crossings

There were 876,400 border crossings in May 2024, made up of 411,600 arrivals and 464,900 departures. In April 2024 there were 1.02 million border crossings.

May 2024 border crossings were 89 percent of the 983,600 in May 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Month-YearArrivalsDepartures
Jan-2018710957669707
Feb-2018613052566629
Mar-2018581433637209
Apr-2018528093611557
May-2018461888512948
Jun-2018465410498576
Jul-2018607522582549
Aug-2018541576546364
Sep-2018547787517143
Oct-2018620678549600
Nov-2018616941574491
Dec-2018709897684081
Jan-2019732396703095
Feb-2019619551572943
Mar-2019581581649055
Apr-2019556929620854
May-2019461656521903
Jun-2019478472503716
Jul-2019606285575710
Aug-2019545162553058
Sep-2019551244529818
Oct-2019620416550980
Nov-2019615277570864
Dec-2019731404714242
Jan-2020748999709105
Feb-2020575209531003
Mar-2020318911377793
Apr-2020625631975
May-2020562210231
Jun-2020927014997
Jul-2020914018390
Aug-20201151514443
Sep-20201170015823
Oct-20201239213496
Nov-20201174113610
Dec-20201276617405
Jan-20211311913858
Feb-20211216013274
Mar-20211187814618
Apr-20214700338871
May-20219129998183
Jun-20218535090196
Jul-20217202775899
Aug-20211882122513
Sep-202182007855
Oct-2021110209752
Nov-20211232416370
Dec-20211535526413
Jan-20221591022685
Feb-20221631524639
Mar-20226605860136
Apr-2022125128141610
May-2022169043175715
Jun-2022206030214140
Jul-2022308022324805
Aug-2022310283304552
Sep-2022332709313341
Oct-2022378137340604
Nov-2022423495373864
Dec-2022504942458511
Jan-2023521524502670
Feb-2023448064394665
Mar-2023447713474253
Apr-2023446057480150
May-2023379405413497
Jun-2023406391425462
Jul-2023517796471790
Aug-2023464909471892
Sep-2023496228487334
Oct-2023551202470571
Nov-2023543753503185
Dec-2023602756602544
Jan-2024667246620193
Feb-2024580612534517
Mar-2024541914588640
Apr-2024476189544377
May-2024411565464868
Jun-2024430568451360

Resumption of seasonally adjusted and trend series

In October 2023 we resumed the publication of seasonally adjusted and trend series for international travel with the release of August 2023 data.

Methodology for bridging seasonally adjusted international travel and migration series impacted by COVID-19 has more information.

In March 2024, with the release of January 2024 data, a methodological change was made to cope with the impact of the pandemic. Seasonally adjusted and trend series up to February 2020 will no longer be revised, to avoid any unintended revisions in the historical series caused by recent data.

Digital arrival card

A digital arrival card (New Zealand Traveller Declaration - NZTD) is available to travellers who have entered New Zealand from mid-July 2023, alongside the existing paper arrival card. Christchurch and Wellington airports were the first to use the NZTD, followed by Queenstown airport in late July 2023 and Auckland airport in late August 2023.

Data from July 2023 onwards therefore includes a growing proportion of digital responses, although paper responses are still the majority. In May 2024, about 1 in 3 of all traveller arrivals completed the digital NZTD.

The implementation of the NZTD has no impact on the range of statistical information available to international travel and migration customers.

Early and provisional international travel data

Each week, Stats NZ releases early and provisional international travel statistics - International travel (provisional) - to facilitate analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on New Zealand's inbound and outbound tourism sectors.

This includes:

  • weekly travel data for short-term overseas visitor and New Zealand-resident arrivals
  • arrivals and departures data based solely on border crossings into and out of New Zealand
  • stock estimates of visitors in New Zealand and New Zealand residents travelling overseas, based on arrivals and departures.

COVID-19 data portal also has summarised daily data.

More data

Use Infoshare to access time-series data for international travel and migration:

Subject category: Tourism
Group: International travel and migration - ITM

Definitions and metadata

International travel - DataInfo+ gives general methodology used to produce international travel and migration statistics.

International travel concepts - DataInfo+ gives definitions of terms used in this release.

Subnational short-term NZ-resident arrivals - DataInfo+ gives methodology for determining the New Zealand-location information in short-term New Zealand-resident arrival records.

Technical enquiries

Mosiana Ha'unga
03 964 8838
[email protected]

ISSN 2624-2710

Next release

International travel: June 2024 will be released on 13 August 2024.

/Stats NZ Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).View in full here.