The Prime Minister and the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality announced the funding today, which comes from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy for 2024/25 and will be used to bolster Tourism New Zealand’s existing marketing activity in the key offshore markets to support growth in visitor numbers and drive export activity. 

International marketing is the primary lever for increasing the number of visitors arriving in New Zealand and plays an important role in tourism growth.  

Marketing media, PR and travel trade partnerships in core markets (Australia, USA, China), mid-size markets (Germany and Korea) and India will be amplified to encourage conversion from the consideration phase, through to booking. Focusing on the core markets presents a strong opportunity for growth, with these markets comprising over 60% of international visitor arrivals.  

“This investment is a significant one for us, and being able to step up our marketing efforts even further means we can reach the highest number of people actively considering booking a visit to New Zealand” says Rene de Monchy, Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand.   

“Our visitor numbers are tracking well, but there is still room for growth and we know there are more people than ever considering a visit to New Zealand. We’re focused on reaching those people and encouraging them to book their trip here”, said Mr de Monchy.  

The $13.5 million investment is expected to bring an additional 23,000 visitors to New Zealand and deliver over $100 million in international visitor spending between July 2025 and March 2026. It is the latest announcement as part of the Government’s Tourism Boost package, which has included a number of initiatives to drive economic growth in the sector.