NZ Losing Its Allure for Australian Tourists

For as long as tourism records have been kept—almost 50 years ago—New Zealand has consistently been the most popular destination for Australians looking to holiday overseas. But not any more. Indonesia—which overtook the United States as the second most popular in early 2014—now tops the list, with around 1.37 million Australians heading there last year (86 percent of them for a holiday), while 1.26 million travelled to New Zealand. In comparison, just 43 percent of Australian visitors to New Zealand are on holiday, with 38 percent travelling to see friends or relatives. Australian tourist numbers to both countries reached their peak in 2019 before declining sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. While both destinations have recovered since then, Indonesia has returned to its pre-pandemic peak, while New Zealand’s growth has slowed since 2022, due in large part to major airlines shrinking their fleets during the pandemic....