New Zealand attracts record US tourists with wellness and weak Kiwi dollar

New Zealand welcomed a record number of visitors from the US in the 12 months to September as favorable exchange rates and increased air links make the South Pacific nation more accessible.

Arrivals rose to 390,116 in the period, Statistics New Zealand said in Wellington on Thursday. American travelers accounted for 10% of all arrivals and are the second largest source of visitors after Australia.

China may soon overtake the US as tourists from the country return to New Zealand in greater numbers. Arrivals from China rose to 340,125 in the 12 months to September, up more than 94,000 over the past year. Chinese visits peaked at more than 454,000 in January 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on global travel. The numbers are now at 84% of pre-pandemic levels.

“Chinese arrivals have surpassed US arrivals for the past six months and at current growth rates will overtake the US to become New Zealand’s second largest tourism market,” Infometrics chief economist Nick Brunsdon said in an email.

Tourism is one of the few bright spots in New Zealand’s economy, contributing around 17% of total exports and around 12% of all jobs, including indirect employment. The government allocated funds to promote the nation globally, including in the US, while the national airline, Air New Zealand Ltd. and competing carriers have increased capacity to support arrivals.

Last month, Tourism New Zealand began promoting New Zealand as the “ultimate wellness studio” for Americans, claiming its geothermal waters, forest trails and indigenous Maori culture offer relief for time-strapped US travelers. Air New Zealand operates direct flights to five US cities including New York, while US carriers such as Delta Air Lines Inc. and American Airlines flies daily to Auckland from California.

Aided by US visitors, the Kiwi dollar has weakened over the past six months, losing 6.6% against the greenback. This means the US dollar goes further when tourists buy goods and services in New Zealand.

Today’s report showed total arrivals rose 9% to 3.74 million in the 12 months to September.

This article was generated from an automated news agency source without text modification.