Kiwi tourists keep sector humming

Fairfax Media

DOMESTIC BOOST: World tourism is down 5 per cent, but the New Zealand industry's nimble response to the downturn has shown promise in maintaining positive figures for the year to March.

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World tourism is down 5 per cent, but the New Zealand industry's nimble response to the downturn has shown promise in maintaining positive figures for the year to March.

Industry accounts from the Tourism Ministry showed a 1.1 per cent increase in tourism spending in the face of declining international travel and a global shift to stay-at-home holidays.

Kiwis doing just that boosted domestic tourism to make up for a dip in foreign visitors, and Tourism Ministry research manager Bruce Bassett said strategic moves by tourism operators helped keep the industry ahead of tourism in other countries.

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation showed a 5 per cent dip in international tourism, he said.

Dairy and wood exports had increased over the year, while tourism had merely maintained its position, therefore making up less of the national GDP figure, down nearly 2 per cent to 16.4 per cent.

"Tourism has held itself in a pretty tough environment. It's a good result all round."

The industry received extra support during the year in terms of a $2.5 million government boost for Australian marketing, but the numbers indicated that tourism operators were able to drive their own demand.

"It's not just extra government spending but the industry itself offering good packages, and maintaining marketing when the inclination might be to do less," Mr Bassett said.

Tourism Industry Association chief executive Tim Cossar said the strength of the domestic market showed the industry how important it was as a strategic backup against the volatility of international tourism.

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