Tourism a bedrock of New Zealands economy

Tourism is a fundamental contributor to New Zealands economy and way of life.

Tourism contributes almost 9% of gross domestic product (GDP) as well as directly
and indirectly employing nearly one in nine New Zealanders.

Despite more challenging times in the past several years, tourism remains New
Zealands second largest foreign exchange earner. The graph below shows how
tourism and its contribution is felt at national, regional and local levels throughout
the New Zealand economy.

Tourism is one of New Zealand's largest export industries, second only to the dairy
industry in terms of foreign exchange earnings. It directly employs 4.7 per cent of
the New Zealand workforce and indirectly employs a further 3.1 per cent.

In total, around one in 11 working New Zealanders is employed in the tourism

industry and it has the potential to improve the economies of communities around
the country.

Data and statistics

Figure 1 Aug 2014 - Jul 2015 International visitor arrivals - holiday

For the year ended March 2014

Total expenditure by international visitors was $10.3 billion (up 7.4% on the previous
year)
Spending by international visitors contributed 15.3% of NZ's total exports
Domestic tourism expenditure was $13.4 billion (up 3.2% on the previous year)

Total tourism expenditure was $23.8 billion (up 5.0% on the previous year)
Tourism's direct contribution to New Zealand's GDP was $8.3 billion or 4.0%
The combined direct and indirect contribution to New Zealand's GDP from tourism
was 8.7%
Tourism is NZ's second largest export sector, behind dairy ($12.3 billion or 20.3%)
The tourism industry directly employed 94,1000 full-time equivalents (FTEs), 4.7%
of the total workforce in New Zealand
A further 72,700 FTEs were indirectly employed (3.6%)

Maori Tourism
New Zealand's unique Mori culture is one of the main reasons our visitors
come here.

The number, variety and quality of Mori tourism businesses have increased
dramatically over the last few years and the sector now makes an important
contribution to New Zealand's regional economies.

New Zealand's Mori culture is second only to our landscapes as the main
reason visitors come here. If tourism experiences are able to incorporate both
of these aspects in an authentic way, it makes for a winning combination.

Although the traditional aspects such as kapa haka remain important parts of
Mori life - and tourism - today there is a much wider range of tourism products
that incorporate a Mori element. Experiences such as hiking, white water
rafting, art and cultural tours, and the opportunity to hear the unique stories

behind New Zealand's places, people and activities first-hand are proving to be
popular among international visitors.

Interpretation and storytelling are combining the best of New Zealand's

spectacular landscape with Mori stories and legends - and international visitors
love it.

Maori Tourism in New Zealand adds a rich dimension to your New Zealand
experience. Traditional art practices, performances and ancient Maori legends
are just some elements of the fascinating Maori culture to explore.