Overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand increased by approximately 6% in the year ending September 30, Stats NZ reports.
Visitor numbers in September hit 95% of its pre-pandemic peak.
Overseas visitor arrivals reached 3.43 million during the year, rising by 197,000 compared to the previous year.
Australians were the largest contributors to that growth, with 1.48 million visits, an increase of over 150,000 compared to the previous year.
Of the arrivals in September, 56% came from Australia, an increase from 51% in September 2019.
US travellers accounted for 6% of visitors in September, matching the share from 2019.
8% were from China, a decrease from 11% pre-Covid.
The UK and India each accounted for 3% of visitor numbers in September 2025.
Before the Stats NZ release, ASB economists noted that tourism was operating at 87% of pre-Covid levels. Meanwhile, total border crossings in September, encompassing both arrivals and departures, reached 99% of the figures recorded in 2019.