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
Easter and school holidays' impact
Annual arrivals
Border crossings
Resumption of seasonally adjusted and trend series
Monthly arrivals - overseas visitors
Overseas visitor arrivals were 225,000 in the April 2024 month, increasing by 3,800 from the April 2023 month. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:
- China (up 10,400)
- Thailand (up 1,900)
- Taiwan (up 1,100)
- Australia (down 6,600)
- United Kingdom (down 1,300).
The April 2024 number of overseas visitor arrivals was 73 percent of the pre-COVID-19 number of 307,400 in April 2019. The lower percentage partly reflects the timing of Easter in late March 2024 compared to mid-April in 2019.
Of the 225,000 overseas visitor arrivals in April 2024:
- 45 percent were from Australia (compared with 43 percent in April 2019)
- 10 percent were from China (12 percent in April 2019)
- 9 percent were from the United States (8 percent in April 2019)
- 4 percent were from the United Kingdom (5 percent in April 2019)
- 3 percent were from India (2 percent in April 2019).
Month-Year | Actual | Seasonally adjusted |
Apr-2014 | 224194 | 232420 |
May-2014 | 161355 | 235750 |
Jun-2014 | 162122 | 236630 |
Jul-2014 | 196856 | 240680 |
Aug-2014 | 188849 | 237310 |
Sep-2014 | 193329 | 236820 |
Oct-2014 | 210597 | 243890 |
Nov-2014 | 270408 | 246380 |
Dec-2014 | 402518 | 247820 |
Jan-2015 | 302432 | 246140 |
Feb-2015 | 343457 | 265420 |
Mar-2015 | 291784 | 250900 |
Apr-2015 | 237966 | 255520 |
May-2015 | 176697 | 258160 |
Jun-2015 | 176961 | 261480 |
Jul-2015 | 207984 | 254320 |
Aug-2015 | 202879 | 261140 |
Sep-2015 | 216984 | 268140 |
Oct-2015 | 229379 | 264070 |
Nov-2015 | 300521 | 270510 |
Dec-2015 | 444883 | 272410 |
Jan-2016 | 343446 | 279160 |
Feb-2016 | 373376 | 278240 |
Mar-2016 | 344387 | 285620 |
Apr-2016 | 256685 | 283700 |
May-2016 | 193643 | 285810 |
Jun-2016 | 196223 | 287240 |
Jul-2016 | 237872 | 297000 |
Aug-2016 | 221181 | 291520 |
Sep-2016 | 245089 | 298890 |
Oct-2016 | 260246 | 300850 |
Nov-2016 | 333598 | 297360 |
Dec-2016 | 494193 | 298760 |
Jan-2017 | 381068 | 303590 |
Feb-2017 | 380034 | 299370 |
Mar-2017 | 343799 | 307680 |
Apr-2017 | 311866 | 319920 |
May-2017 | 209170 | 312750 |
Jun-2017 | 230088 | 339280 |
Jul-2017 | 246945 | 312470 |
Aug-2017 | 233991 | 307930 |
Sep-2017 | 252746 | 310910 |
Oct-2017 | 270515 | 310630 |
Nov-2017 | 360136 | 312800 |
Dec-2017 | 513349 | 309340 |
Jan-2018 | 379228 | 311700 |
Feb-2018 | 423456 | 324940 |
Mar-2018 | 388327 | 322210 |
Apr-2018 | 283910 | 318280 |
May-2018 | 222079 | 332210 |
Jun-2018 | 212245 | 319980 |
Jul-2018 | 250523 | 319920 |
Aug-2018 | 246682 | 322560 |
Sep-2018 | 258155 | 318080 |
Oct-2018 | 283568 | 325270 |
Nov-2018 | 385789 | 326890 |
Dec-2018 | 529255 | 318560 |
Jan-2019 | 399346 | 324880 |
Feb-2019 | 417934 | 320100 |
Mar-2019 | 378270 | 344760 |
Apr-2019 | 307409 | 323530 |
May-2019 | 219331 | 329260 |
Jun-2019 | 213536 | 327530 |
Jul-2019 | 255585 | 330630 |
Aug-2019 | 251131 | 326210 |
Sep-2019 | 261770 | 323520 |
Oct-2019 | 283834 | 319960 |
Nov-2019 | 372108 | 312250 |
Dec-2019 | 528219 | 315500 |
Jan-2020 | 410778 | 319030 |
Feb-2020 | 372745 | 286730 |
Mar-2020 | 175521 | 175520 |
Apr-2020 | 1721 | 1720 |
May-2020 | 2189 | 2190 |
Jun-2020 | 3521 | 3520 |
Jul-2020 | 3481 | 3480 |
Aug-2020 | 4782 | 4780 |
Sep-2020 | 5519 | 5520 |
Oct-2020 | 5073 | 5070 |
Nov-2020 | 5116 | 5120 |
Dec-2020 | 5904 | 5900 |
Jan-2021 | 5448 | 5450 |
Feb-2021 | 5297 | 5300 |
Mar-2021 | 4639 | 4640 |
Apr-2021 | 31931 | 31930 |
May-2021 | 57605 | 57600 |
Jun-2021 | 51590 | 51590 |
Jul-2021 | 30209 | 30210 |
Aug-2021 | 2676 | 2680 |
Sep-2021 | 2310 | 2310 |
Oct-2021 | 3687 | 3690 |
Nov-2021 | 5309 | 5310 |
Dec-2021 | 6161 | 6160 |
Jan-2022 | 4033 | 4030 |
Feb-2022 | 5235 | 5240 |
Mar-2022 | 28624 | 28620 |
Apr-2022 | 54303 | 54300 |
May-2022 | 72755 | 72760 |
Jun-2022 | 94648 | 94650 |
Jul-2022 | 134175 | 134180 |
Aug-2022 | 129753 | 129750 |
Sep-2022 | 151270 | 151270 |
Oct-2022 | 161636 | 161640 |
Nov-2022 | 232684 | 232680 |
Dec-2022 | 364716 | 364720 |
Jan-2023 | 268298 | 208520 |
Feb-2023 | 268704 | 216050 |
Mar-2023 | 266131 | 247770 |
Apr-2023 | 221271 | 243200 |
May-2023 | 160335 | 253750 |
Jun-2023 | 178426 | 271990 |
Jul-2023 | 213806 | 276280 |
Aug-2023 | 206783 | 266560 |
Sep-2023 | 224909 | 272560 |
Oct-2023 | 225979 | 253410 |
Nov-2023 | 303429 | 250890 |
Dec-2023 | 418869 | 243670 |
Jan-2024 | 326427 | 265980 |
Feb-2024 | 362836 | 269400 |
Mar-2024 | 340306 | 295620 |
Apr-2024 | 225024 | 267920 |
Month-Year | NZ-resident travellers | Overseas visitors |
Jan-2022 | 2.6 | 1 |
Feb-2022 | 4.5 | 1.3 |
Mar-2022 | 15.7 | 7.6 |
Apr-2022 | 26.6 | 17.7 |
May-2022 | 38.7 | 33.2 |
Jun-2022 | 40.8 | 44.3 |
Jul-2022 | 48.5 | 52.5 |
Aug-2022 | 60.5 | 51.7 |
Sep-2022 | 61 | 57.8 |
Oct-2022 | 63.2 | 56.9 |
Nov-2022 | 75.8 | 62.5 |
Dec-2022 | 65.4 | 69 |
Jan-2023 | 74.9 | 67.2 |
Feb-2023 | 84 | 64.3 |
Mar-2023 | 83 | 70.4 |
Apr-2023 | 86.5 | 72 |
May-2023 | 86.6 | 73.1 |
Jun-2023 | 82.5 | 83.6 |
Jul-2023 | 84.9 | 83.7 |
Aug-2023 | 84.8 | 82.3 |
Sep-2023 | 91.1 | 85.9 |
Oct-2023 | 95.4 | 79.6 |
Nov-2023 | 97.1 | 81.5 |
Dec-2023 | 88.3 | 79.3 |
Jan-2024 | 102.2 | 81.7 |
Feb-2024 | 107.3 | 86.8 |
Mar-2024 | 97.6 | 90 |
Apr-2024 | 99.5 | 73.2 |
Monthly arrivals - New Zealand-resident travellers
New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals were 242,100 in the April 2024 month, increasing by 31,700 from the April 2023 month. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:
- Australia (up 20,500)
- China (up 4,900)
- Japan (up 2,800)
- Indonesia (up 2,300)
- Cook Islands (up 2,300)
- Fiji (up 1,700)
- Viet Nam (up 1,100).
The April 2024 number of New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals was 100 percent of the pre-COVID-19 number of 243,300 in April 2019.
Of the 242,100 New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals in April 2024:
- 47 percent were from Australia (compared with 47 percent in April 2019)
- 7 percent were from Fiji (6 percent in April 2019)
- 5 percent were from the United States (7 percent in April 2019)
- 5 percent were from China (5 percent in April 2019)
- 4 percent were from the Cook Islands (3 percent in April 2019)
- 4 percent were from Japan (2 percent in April 2019).
Month-Year | Actual | Seasonally adjusted |
Apr-2014 | 165128 | 188590 |
May-2014 | 196231 | 195030 |
Jun-2014 | 189792 | 193390 |
Jul-2014 | 247393 | 193060 |
Aug-2014 | 217096 | 193790 |
Sep-2014 | 209771 | 194580 |
Oct-2014 | 254701 | 196860 |
Nov-2014 | 182726 | 198950 |
Dec-2014 | 136259 | 194880 |
Jan-2015 | 246806 | 201320 |
Feb-2015 | 143015 | 194640 |
Mar-2015 | 162966 | 210260 |
Apr-2015 | 198714 | 204990 |
May-2015 | 189138 | 207360 |
Jun-2015 | 201422 | 205860 |
Jul-2015 | 266351 | 208010 |
Aug-2015 | 232600 | 206500 |
Sep-2015 | 219293 | 203310 |
Oct-2015 | 271450 | 209550 |
Nov-2015 | 192971 | 211190 |
Dec-2015 | 144173 | 210530 |
Jan-2016 | 262570 | 209260 |
Feb-2016 | 159399 | 209580 |
Mar-2016 | 164752 | 210880 |
Apr-2016 | 194126 | 217650 |
May-2016 | 214781 | 220110 |
Jun-2016 | 214579 | 221860 |
Jul-2016 | 286053 | 218320 |
Aug-2016 | 247585 | 221370 |
Sep-2016 | 240404 | 224570 |
Oct-2016 | 294808 | 225830 |
Nov-2016 | 206046 | 226990 |
Dec-2016 | 156094 | 229190 |
Jan-2017 | 288306 | 227300 |
Feb-2017 | 184547 | 252110 |
Mar-2017 | 179276 | 238060 |
Apr-2017 | 221345 | 235720 |
May-2017 | 220392 | 230980 |
Jun-2017 | 224810 | 233860 |
Jul-2017 | 311944 | 235070 |
Aug-2017 | 258628 | 235000 |
Sep-2017 | 259036 | 240960 |
Oct-2017 | 319931 | 243860 |
Nov-2017 | 214488 | 240150 |
Dec-2017 | 167066 | 241380 |
Jan-2018 | 316840 | 248530 |
Feb-2018 | 176835 | 241340 |
Mar-2018 | 183140 | 243460 |
Apr-2018 | 235936 | 247310 |
May-2018 | 231669 | 252640 |
Jun-2018 | 244680 | 249810 |
Jul-2018 | 345136 | 259840 |
Aug-2018 | 284801 | 260290 |
Sep-2018 | 278617 | 256880 |
Oct-2018 | 326229 | 249930 |
Nov-2018 | 221845 | 251280 |
Dec-2018 | 174279 | 249280 |
Jan-2019 | 320945 | 254560 |
Feb-2019 | 190597 | 259920 |
Mar-2019 | 194989 | 255130 |
Apr-2019 | 243302 | 251490 |
May-2019 | 235169 | 264210 |
Jun-2019 | 257310 | 259460 |
Jul-2019 | 340250 | 255180 |
Aug-2019 | 284520 | 259770 |
Sep-2019 | 279754 | 258370 |
Oct-2019 | 326409 | 254620 |
Nov-2019 | 233660 | 261590 |
Dec-2019 | 194522 | 278990 |
Jan-2020 | 326341 | 260600 |
Feb-2020 | 190541 | 249050 |
Mar-2020 | 136721 | 136720 |
Apr-2020 | 4035 | 4040 |
May-2020 | 2626 | 2630 |
Jun-2020 | 4474 | 4470 |
Jul-2020 | 3107 | 3110 |
Aug-2020 | 3295 | 3300 |
Sep-2020 | 2723 | 2720 |
Oct-2020 | 2927 | 2930 |
Nov-2020 | 2468 | 2470 |
Dec-2020 | 2635 | 2640 |
Jan-2021 | 3592 | 3590 |
Feb-2021 | 3033 | 3030 |
Mar-2021 | 2857 | 2860 |
Apr-2021 | 10084 | 10080 |
May-2021 | 29019 | 29020 |
Jun-2021 | 29638 | 29640 |
Jul-2021 | 36517 | 36520 |
Aug-2021 | 13398 | 13400 |
Sep-2021 | 3210 | 3210 |
Oct-2021 | 3779 | 3780 |
Nov-2021 | 3364 | 3360 |
Dec-2021 | 4388 | 4390 |
Jan-2022 | 8475 | 8480 |
Feb-2022 | 8604 | 8600 |
Mar-2022 | 30588 | 30590 |
Apr-2022 | 64741 | 64740 |
May-2022 | 90964 | 90960 |
Jun-2022 | 105110 | 105110 |
Jul-2022 | 165003 | 165000 |
Aug-2022 | 172269 | 172270 |
Sep-2022 | 170754 | 170750 |
Oct-2022 | 206321 | 206320 |
Nov-2022 | 177010 | 177010 |
Dec-2022 | 127287 | 127290 |
Jan-2023 | 240401 | 190580 |
Feb-2023 | 160075 | 214850 |
Mar-2023 | 161937 | 212050 |
Apr-2023 | 210446 | 208420 |
May-2023 | 203641 | 231070 |
Jun-2023 | 212221 | 215720 |
Jul-2023 | 288827 | 215690 |
Aug-2023 | 241236 | 222750 |
Sep-2023 | 254869 | 236430 |
Oct-2023 | 311415 | 240040 |
Nov-2023 | 226814 | 256390 |
Dec-2023 | 171772 | 249940 |
Jan-2024 | 328125 | 261160 |
Feb-2024 | 204549 | 267330 |
Mar-2024 | 190278 | 244570 |
Apr-2024 | 242133 | 267380 |
Easter and school holidays' impact
New Zealand-resident traveller and overseas visitor weekly arrivals both typically peak around Easter and school holiday periods. The timing of these holidays affects weekly and monthly travel numbers.
In 2024, Good Friday was on 29 March and fell outside the school holiday period from 13-28 April. In 2023, Good Friday was on 7 April, coinciding with the school holiday period from 7-23 April.
This contributed to fewer overseas visitor arrivals in the first week of April 2024 compared with the same week in 2023.
The number of New Zealand residents arriving back from short-term trips peaked in late April in both 2023 and 2024, coinciding with the end of the school holidays.
Week ended | NZ-resident travellers (2023) | NZ-resident travellers (2024) | Overseas visitors (2023) | Overseas visitors (2024) |
03-Mar | 38459 | 51353 | 65708 | 82694 |
10-Mar | 36209 | 41343 | 63854 | 77571 |
17-Mar | 36014 | 41066 | 61909 | 77585 |
24-Mar | 37172 | 43567 | 55966 | 70725 |
31-Mar | 37851 | 43064 | 55172 | 73759 |
07-Apr | 35757 | 51605 | 66393 | 55657 |
14-Apr | 42172 | 42773 | 56405 | 56486 |
21-Apr | 54349 | 49334 | 45847 | 57177 |
28-Apr | 60740 | 77096 | 39652 | 45040 |
05-May | 49262 | 60440 | 43484 | 47660 |
12-May | 45194 | 49220 | 37909 | 41920 |
International travel (provisional) has weekly updates of short-term travel trends.
Annual arrivals
Overseas visitor arrivals were 3.19 million in the April 2024 year, increasing by 821,000 from the April 2023 year. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:
- China (up 177,000 to 221,000)
- United States (up 131,000 to 376,000)
- Australia (up 97,000 to 1.29 million)
- India (up 43,000 to 87,000)
- Korea (up 37,000 to 70,000)
- Japan (up 31,000 to 61,000).
New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals were 2.88 million in the April 2024 year, increasing by 888,000 from the April 2023 year. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:
- Australia (up 354,000 to 1.15 million)
- China (up 107,000 to 130,000)
- United States (up 52,000 to 169,000)
- Japan (up 40,000 to 64,000)
- Fiji (up 37,000 to 207,000)
- Samoa (up 35,000 to 66,000)
- Indonesia (up 35,000 to 60,000).
Border crossings
There were 1.02 million border crossings in April 2024, made up of 476,200 arrivals and 544,400 departures. In March 2024 there were 1.13 million border crossings.
April 2024 border crossings were 87 percent of the 1.18 million in April 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Month-Year | Arrivals | Departures |
Jan-2018 | 710957 | 669707 |
Feb-2018 | 613052 | 566629 |
Mar-2018 | 581433 | 637209 |
Apr-2018 | 528093 | 611557 |
May-2018 | 461888 | 512948 |
Jun-2018 | 465410 | 498576 |
Jul-2018 | 607522 | 582549 |
Aug-2018 | 541576 | 546364 |
Sep-2018 | 547787 | 517143 |
Oct-2018 | 620678 | 549600 |
Nov-2018 | 616941 | 574491 |
Dec-2018 | 709897 | 684081 |
Jan-2019 | 732396 | 703095 |
Feb-2019 | 619551 | 572943 |
Mar-2019 | 581581 | 649055 |
Apr-2019 | 556929 | 620854 |
May-2019 | 461656 | 521903 |
Jun-2019 | 478472 | 503716 |
Jul-2019 | 606285 | 575710 |
Aug-2019 | 545162 | 553058 |
Sep-2019 | 551244 | 529818 |
Oct-2019 | 620416 | 550980 |
Nov-2019 | 615277 | 570864 |
Dec-2019 | 731404 | 714242 |
Jan-2020 | 748999 | 709105 |
Feb-2020 | 575209 | 531003 |
Mar-2020 | 318911 | 377793 |
Apr-2020 | 6256 | 31975 |
May-2020 | 5622 | 10231 |
Jun-2020 | 9270 | 14997 |
Jul-2020 | 9140 | 18390 |
Aug-2020 | 11515 | 14443 |
Sep-2020 | 11700 | 15823 |
Oct-2020 | 12392 | 13496 |
Nov-2020 | 11741 | 13610 |
Dec-2020 | 12766 | 17405 |
Jan-2021 | 13119 | 13858 |
Feb-2021 | 12160 | 13274 |
Mar-2021 | 11878 | 14618 |
Apr-2021 | 47003 | 38871 |
May-2021 | 91299 | 98183 |
Jun-2021 | 85350 | 90196 |
Jul-2021 | 72027 | 75899 |
Aug-2021 | 18821 | 22513 |
Sep-2021 | 8200 | 7855 |
Oct-2021 | 11020 | 9752 |
Nov-2021 | 12324 | 16370 |
Dec-2021 | 15355 | 26413 |
Jan-2022 | 15910 | 22685 |
Feb-2022 | 16315 | 24639 |
Mar-2022 | 66058 | 60136 |
Apr-2022 | 125128 | 141610 |
May-2022 | 169043 | 175715 |
Jun-2022 | 206030 | 214140 |
Jul-2022 | 308022 | 324805 |
Aug-2022 | 310283 | 304552 |
Sep-2022 | 332709 | 313341 |
Oct-2022 | 378137 | 340604 |
Nov-2022 | 423495 | 373864 |
Dec-2022 | 504942 | 458511 |
Jan-2023 | 521524 | 502670 |
Feb-2023 | 448064 | 394665 |
Mar-2023 | 447713 | 474253 |
Apr-2023 | 446057 | 480150 |
May-2023 | 379405 | 413497 |
Jun-2023 | 406391 | 425462 |
Jul-2023 | 517796 | 471790 |
Aug-2023 | 464909 | 471892 |
Sep-2023 | 496228 | 487334 |
Oct-2023 | 551202 | 470571 |
Nov-2023 | 543753 | 503185 |
Dec-2023 | 602756 | 602544 |
Jan-2024 | 667246 | 620193 |
Feb-2024 | 580612 | 534517 |
Mar-2024 | 541914 | 588640 |
Apr-2024 | 476189 | 544377 |
May-2024 | 412316 | 465854 |
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 therefore includes a growing proportion of digital responses, although paper responses are still the majority. In April 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: May 2024 will be released on 10 July 2024.