Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates
The Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates (MRTEs) measure total visitor spending across New Zealand on a monthly basis. The estimates are produced across multiple dimensions to support regional and industry level analysis.
Methodology update for May 2026 data release
The May 2026 data release includes a methodology update and replaces previously published historical data. This also includes the industry breakdown.
Why the change
The previous methodology combined data from the Retail Trade Survey (RTS) and the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) to scale electronic card spending. This meant MRTE figures did not align directly with a single official measure, which had the potential to create confusion and reduce consistency with official tourism statistics.
What’s improved
The updated methodology, developed by Marketview, in collaboration with Stats NZ and MBIE, aligns MRTEs more closely with the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), using industry-level data provided by Stats NZ. Estimates are aligned with TSA figures up to March 2025, with a proprietary method used for more recent periods. This enhances consistency and confidence in the data.
Changes to data availability
Due to increased volatility in the "Other Tourism" category (which accounts for around one-third of visitor spending), publication of MRTEs at the Territorial Authority (TA) level has been paused while methodological improvements are made. MRTEs will continue to be published at the Regional and Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) levels.
Monthly Regional Tourism Estimate data release materials
Data visualisations and MBIE commentary on the topline results are available on the Tourism Evidence and Insights Centre (TEIC).
Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates — Tourism Evidence and Insights Centre(external link)
Discontinued TECT and MRTE data
In this section I tēnei wāhanga
MRTE user guidance
This user guidance explains the methodology, data sources, and limitations of the Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates to support stakeholders' understanding and decision-making related to tourism expenditure.
Data release calendar
Check upcoming scheduled tourism survey releases on our data release calendar