Annual Visitor Arrivals Up 9 Percent

There were 3.67 million overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand in the June 2026 year, up 9 percent from 3.38 million in the June 2025 year, according to data released by Stats NZ today.

“Visitor arrivals were up almost 300,000 in the June 2026 year, compared with the year before,” international travel statistics spokesperson Dave O’Donovan said.

“Visitors from Australia and China made up over two-thirds of the increase.”

There were 144,400 more visitor arrivals from Australia and 67,000 more visitor arrivals from China in the June 2026 year, compared with the June 2025 year.

The largest sources of visitor arrivals in the June 2026 year were Australia (1.59 million), the United States (385,500), China (315,400), and the United Kingdom (196,500).

“Visitor arrivals from Australia in the June 2026 year were a record for any annual period from that country and the latest in a succession of annual records starting with the March 2026 year,” O’Donovan said.

The 385,500 visitor arrivals from the United States were a record for a June year.

South Island airports exceed 1 million overseas visitor arrivals

South Island airports collectively saw 1.05 million arrivals of overseas visitors in the June 2026 year, up from 881,300 in the June 2025 year.

“Arrivals of overseas visitors to South Island airports exceeded 1 million annually for the first time in the March 2026 year and have remained above this level through to the June 2026 year,” O’Donovan said.

“Christchurch airport led the growth in overseas visitor arrivals to the South Island in the June 2026 year, followed by Queenstown airport.”

There were 547,800 overseas visitor arrivals to Christchurch airport in the June 2026 year, up 96,600 (21 percent) on the June 2025 year.

Queenstown airport had 493,500 overseas visitor arrivals in the June 2026 year, a record for any annual period for this airport. This was up 63,600 (15 percent) on the year before.

“Visitors from Australia and China were the main drivers of growth in overseas visitor arrivals to both Christchurch airport and Queenstown airport in the June 2026 year,” O’Donovan said.

Auckland airport had the largest increase in overseas visitor arrivals of any New Zealand airport in the June 2026 year, up 103,300 to 2.38 million. Nearly two-thirds of overseas visitors to New Zealand in the June 2026 year arrived into Auckland airport.