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The Government is increasing funding for attracting overseas visitors and investing in tourism infrastructure as part of its new Tourism Growth Roadmap, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.
“We’re investing $35 million to deliver the first stage of the Roadmap, which sets out the Government’s plan to double the value of tourism,” Upston says.
“International visitors bring billions of dollars into New Zealand, from big ticket spends to everyday purchases in local cafes and accommodation.
“We want to welcome more visitors to New Zealand, and we want our regional communities to improve their capacity to look after those visitors.
“The Government must work with industry to unlock the full potential of our tourism sector, and the Roadmap lays out initiatives and investments to ensure our infrastructure, workforce and communities can support further growth.
“For the 2025/26 financial year, we’re investing $6 million in international marketing across emerging tourism markets, $3 million to increase the number of business events hosted in New Zealand, and an additional $5 million towards the Major Events Fund.
“These commitments follow the recent announcements of $13.5 million invested in international tourism marketing and $4 million of investment towards improving the visitor experience along the Milford Road corridor.
“Recent tourism funding has been about boosting visitor numbers. As those higher numbers become established, the Roadmap will shift over time to focus more on supporting communities to look after them well,” Upston says.
This investment comes from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. This levy is charged to most international visitors, and ensures they are contributing to the public services, facilities and natural environment they will enjoy while in New Zealand.
More information can be found on the MBIE website.
New tourism investments for the 2025/26 financial year include:
- $6 million in Tourism New Zealand’s marketing in the emerging markets of India and Southeast Asia,
- $3 million to increase the number of business events hosted in New Zealand, as part of Tourism New Zealand’s collaboration with Business Events Industry Aotearoa,
- An additional $5 million towards the Major Events Fund,
- $13.5 million in Tourism New Zealand’s marketing in core markets of Australia, the United States and China,
- $4 million towards a wider package of work to improve visitor experiences and reduce congestion along the Milford Road corridor.
