Policy objectives and actions

Policy objective 1: Evidence-led, sustainable tourism growth

Evidence and insights enable confident, sustainable tourism growth

A high-performing tourism system requires evidence-led decision-making. Tourism growth that is not guided by shared, credible evidence risks becoming misaligned with visitor capacity and infrastructure readiness, eroding public confidence and undermining long term value.

High‑quality evidence enables industry, regions, and government to plan and invest with confidence.

While New Zealand holds extensive tourism data, it is not always timely, well‑integrated, or easy to use. This can make it difficult to clearly understand trends, demand, capacity and opportunities, increasing risk and limiting well‑informed investment and planning decisions across the system.

Tourism doesn’t grow evenly. Some places, times of year, and markets see more pressure than others. Clear, well-presented data and insights are required to identify pressure points, anticipate infrastructure and workforce needs and support informed decisions about where, when, and how tourism can grow sustainably.

Government’s approach is to strengthen the availability, accessibility, and usefulness of tourism data so it can be consistently applied. Better insights will support industry-led planning and investment, improve government planning and investment decisions, reduce risk, and increase confidence for businesses, regions, and communities.

Rapid advances in technology, including the growing use of artificial intelligence, are changing how visitors discover and experience New Zealand and how tourism businesses and governments plan, operate and invest. These shifts are also expanding the volume, variety and potential value of data available to inform tourism decisions. It is therefore essential that we identify and learn from global best practice, to ensure our approach keeps pace and adopts proven methods for quality, governance and use.

This creates opportunities to improve forecasting, planning and market targeting – supporting more confident decision-making by industry, regions and government. It also raises challenges for how public tourism data is collected, integrated, safeguarded and shared. The way tourism information is shaped and used must support sustainable growth over time while maintaining confidence in the integrity and reliability of New Zealand’s tourism data.

To make this work, a partnership approach will be essential. Government, local government, mana whenua and industry will increasingly rely on shared, integrated insights to inform decisions on development, investment and destination management.

Policy objective 2: Delivering high‑quality visitor experiences

Quality visitor experiences drive value and destination competitiveness

A high-quality visitor experience is central to New Zealand’s competitiveness as a destination.

It encourages visitors to spend more, repeat travel and recommend New Zealand to others. Over time, infrastructure pressures, congestion and inconsistent delivery can erode quality and weaken differentiation. Domestic tourism supports this objective by providing steady demand year round.

The visitor experience is dependent on several factors working well together. This includes destination stewardship, accommodation supply, infrastructure readiness, hospitality and clear signals about priority experiences. Where these elements are misaligned, quality can decline. When they are working well, the system enables businesses to provide extraordinary experiences. Delivering new and higher-quality experiences at scale also requires significant private sector investment – including foreign direct investment – supported by stable, transparent settings and data that give investors the confidence to commit capital.

Quality assurance frameworks, such as government-owned Qualmark, support trust and confidence in New Zealand’s tourism offering, particularly in offshore markets. Other quality assurance pathways led by the market include review websites, trusted brands, awards or certifications. These systems make it easier for trade partners to easily understand and promote New Zealand as a destination. It also supports consistency in how the visitor experience is represented internationally, while allowing industry to differentiate and innovate within those settings. As a major provider of visitor experiences, DOC plays a critical role in shaping perceptions of quality, stewardship and value in New Zealand’s tourism offering. The conservation estate is a core tourism product in New Zealand and a primary driver of destination choice.

This means that investment in biodiversity outcomes and in the upkeep and management of visitor assets on public conservation land and waters (including tracks, huts, campgrounds, signage, toilets, access and supporting facilities) is also an investment in visitor experience quality and the integrity of New Zealand’s destination brand. Delivering these outcomes requires ongoing maintenance, capacity management and ecological stewardship to manage pressure at high-demand sites and to ensure that what is marketed is consistently delivered on the ground.

The Government will signal priority areas of differentiation – such as nature-based experiences, Māori culture, food and beverage and active escapes – to guide future investment, experience and product development and workforce capability.

Night-time economy

The night-time economy offers an example of how quality visitor experiences are shaped through coordinated, place-led decisions. It brings together hospitality, events, arts and cultural activity operating in the evening and overnight, supported by transport, safety services and well-designed public spaces.

In some New Zealand cities and regional destinations, elements of this approach are already evident. These initiatives tend to be locally driven, clustering activity, investing in shared public amenities and building on the character of neighbourhoods. When well designed, they can create vibrant, welcoming and safe environments that appeal to both visitors and residents.

As part of a broader destination offering, night-time activity can help extend visitor stays, increase spend and support hospitality and creative sectors, while also contributing to more active and safer town and city centres after dark. In this way, the night-time economy illustrates how place-based coordination can deliver benefits that extend beyond tourism alone.

Policy objective 3: Tourism that works for regions and communities

Place-based tourism growth that benefits communities and earns local support

Tourism – both international and domestic – is a powerful driver of regional prosperity, employment and placemaking. However, regional tourism benefits are not automatic and are not experienced evenly. When tourism works well for communities, it improves access to, and enjoyment of, hospitality, events, facilities, museums, and galleries—so locals benefit as well as visitors.

Tourism as an industry has the power to make communities vibrant and grow its social licence in regions and communities. This is integral to delivering on the balanced growth objectives set out earlier in this Statement.

Industry also has an active stewardship role, alongside councils and mana whenua, in ensuring tourism growth is supported by the right local investment, infrastructure and business operating practices so it remains predictable, well-integrated and welcomed by communities over time.

Government’s policy direction acknowledges that in some places, the infrastructure and operational pressures from tourism are significant and may challenge what local ratepayers can afford. This is particularly experienced in places where there is a high ratio of visitors to residents. These pressures need to be managed efficiently to enable tourism growth to be sustained over the long term.

Different places face different challenges and opportunities, and effective responses must be tailored to local needs and expectations about councils keeping rates increases under control and prioritising core services for their communities. Place-based solutions, informed and led locally, are therefore essential, supported by national policy settings that provide consistency, fairness and scale.

Cycle tourism

The Great Rides cycle trails are one of New Zealand’s most successful regional tourism assets. These world-class trails deliver significant economic, recreational and environmental benefits to communities. They boost economic growth by creating jobs, supporting local businesses and attracting new hospitality and accommodation services to set up nearby. The Great Rides also play a key role in regional dispersal, helping more communities benefit from tourism. Protecting and maintaining these trails is critical so they continue to attract both international and domestic visitors and deliver long-term economic benefits for our regions.

Policy objective 4: Productive, resilient tourism and hospitality businesses

Tourism and hospitality business capability and resilience drive long‑term value

A resilient tourism system depends on productive, innovative and profitable businesses that are able to adapt to changing markets, workforce conditions and environmental expectations.

Tourism in New Zealand is characterised by a large number of small- and medium-sized enterprises, many of which face persistent challenges with access to finance, high regulatory compliance costs, productivity, skills development, workforce retention and digital capability.

Business productivity and resilience matter because they support good visitor experiences, stable jobs and the ability for regions to cope with changes or shocks. The alternative is businesses that are less able to invest, innovate or respond to changing conditions, increasing pressure on communities and public systems during economic downturns.

Government’s policy direction recognises that business evolution is necessary if tourism is to remain competitive and deliver employment over the long term. Some businesses will find this transition easier than others but maintaining existing models at all costs would undermine long-term resilience. Government will act as an enabler and partner in this transition, focusing on lifting capability, reducing the compliance burden, enabling the workforce pipeline and creating an environment that supports industry led change.

Evolution of digital technologies is rapidly changing the landscape for how visitors access information about New Zealand and for how businesses adapt and grow. A New Zealand Inc effort is required now to make confident, effective and responsible use of AI the norm across the sector. The Government has established enabling settings for AI adoption across the economy. For tourism, opportunities from AI solutions include improved marketing and customer experience (for example, discovery, personalisation and service) as well as other productivity enhancing measures that streamline back office and operational processes. Supporting smaller businesses to move beyond basic use of technology will unlock greater benefits for the wider tourism system.

Policy objective 5: Strong international and domestic connectivity

Reliable air, sea and land links enable a resilient visitor economy

A resilient and growing visitor economy depends on sufficient and reliable international and domestic connectivity.

International air connections are vital for New Zealand and require sustained effort to secure adequate capacity for visitors to travel here in a competitive global market. We also need to attract more cruise ships to New Zealand if we are to take advantage of growing global demand for cruise travel and appetite for New Zealand as a destination. New Zealand's international connectivity depends on many factors working together, including border and visa settings, fuel security, infrastructure, airport and port capability, competitiveness of New Zealand for airlines relative to other potential destinations, consumer demand (from both visitors and New Zealanders heading overseas) and aligned marketing investment. The strength and consistency of New Zealand’s international brand play a central role in sustaining demand and attracting visitors. At the same time, these connections are exposed to disruption from a suite of factors, such as geopolitical dynamics, supply chain challenges, changes in exchange rates and the purchasing power of visitors to New Zealand.

Our domestic travel connections and related infrastructure are also critical. Good connections within New Zealand – by air, sea, road and rail – help with the dispersal of visitors throughout the country and support regional economic development. A healthy system requires air links, sea links and core land transport infrastructure to be reliable and efficient, with capacity to get visitors to their destinations.

Each air and cruise connection is valuable. Government recognises it is essential to sustain the confidence of international and regional airlines and cruise lines in New Zealand as a destination and in our connectivity settings. When carriers can plan and operate with confidence, routes are more commercially viable, capacity is more stable, and visitors and freight can move efficiently. The Government’s announcement to make RNZAF Base Ohakea a permanent 24/7 alternative airport for wide-body international aircraft signals our commitment to strengthening aviation resilience and reliability.

Air connections also play a vital role in the transport of high-value and perishable products, and changes in passenger capacity flow through to air freight capacity, costs and access to some markets and domestic regions. If confidence declines, our competitiveness is lowered or routes are scaled back or withdrawn, this directly impacts whether visitors come to New Zealand or travel elsewhere.

Government will continue its leadership role in international engagement and negotiations and will partner with industry to grow our international connectivity. Government will also enable domestic connectivity through regional development funding, working with local government to maintain and develop regional links.

This objective underpins the Statement by ensuring that New Zealand has the connections to enable tourism growth and to support regional economies, and our connectivity is supporting long term resilience.

Policy objective 6: Creating and shaping demand through targeted and effective marketing

Sustaining visibility and shaping demand across regions and seasons

New Zealand’s ability to sustain a resilient tourism system depends not only on the quality of our visitor experiences but on our continued visibility and relevance in highly competitive international and domestic markets. This includes protecting the strength of the 100% Pure New Zealand brand, built through decades of investment and consistent delivery and now one of the world’s leading destination brands.

Marketing remains a core system function, generating demand for New Zealand as a destination and shaping that demand over time, influencing visitor mix, and supporting the efficient use of the tourism offering across regions and seasons. Continued investment in marketing is therefore essential to protect the value of past and ongoing investment in tourism product, infrastructure and capability, and to support stable demand through periods of volatility and recovery.

Effective marketing plays a critical role in aligning demand with the strategic direction set out in this Statement.

Over time, this contributes to stronger export value, more resilient businesses, and improved alignment between visitor demand and destination capacity.

International marketing is led by Tourism New Zealand in partnership with regions and industry. Inbound tour operators (ITOs) also play a role in shaping international demand through trade facing marketing and sales activity.

Maintaining a strong and credible market presence is not a short-term lever, but a long-term enabler of sustainable tourism performance and is essential to sustain demand and air connectivity. Domestic marketing is led by local government and its agencies, including Regional Tourism Organisations. Their role involves promoting the events and experiences that cause New Zealanders to travel more frequently in New Zealand, supporting the viability of tourism and hospitality businesses, especially during off-peak periods. This objective reinforces this Statement’s strategic direction by ensuring marketing activity creates and converts demand for New Zealand while also supporting system outcomes.

Policy objective 7: Unlocking the value of events and business events

Leveraging events to drive year‑round demand, regional vitality and high‑value visitor activity

Events and business events are central to a well-functioning tourism system. They support year-round visitation, regional dispersal, increased domestic travel, place‑making and high-value travel. They also create opportunities to showcase New Zealand’s capabilities, creativity and expertise to the world. At a local level, events provide opportunities to generate value from key venues such as our stadiums and convention centres, contribute to building vibrant communities, support local jobs and businesses and create lasting benefits for our communities.

Different types of events perform different functions within the system. Mega and major events can elevate New Zealand’s profile on the international stage, attract visitors at a significant scale and build investment and trade connections. Regional events promote domestic travel and contribute to positive social outcomes. Business events generate high-value travel, support knowledge exchange, build investment and trade connections and strengthen off‑peak demand. Community and cultural events strengthen local identity, provide opportunities to express and grow visitor interest in Māori culture and help sustain social licence for tourism activity.

From a strategic perspective, a balanced and coherent approach to events is essential.

Over-reliance on any single type of event can limit resilience and narrow economic growth opportunities, while fragmented investment can dilute impact. Government’s policy direction therefore provides certainty that events are a core component of the tourism system, while recognising the need for differentiated approaches.

This objective supports this Statement’s wider goals by reinforcing regional vitality and strengthening New Zealand’s global reputation as both a destination and a place to do business.

Policy objective 8: Investing for impact and long-term value

Strengthening investment settings to support sustainable growth, confidence and long‑term system value

Public investment plays a critical role in shaping the tourism system. It signals priorities, influences private and regional investment decisions, and can enable or constrain system change. Where investment processes are short-term, unclear or fragmented, confidence can be undermined and effort diverted into lobbying rather than delivery.

Significant and efficient investment and a coordinated approach will be essential to achieving the strategic objectives of this Statement.

Current tourism funding arrangements are showing signs of pressure, particularly at local government level, and will require fit-for-purpose, sustainable settings to support future growth and desired outcomes. Long-term challenges such as visitor-related infrastructure pressure, environmental stewardship, productivity and regional capacity cannot be addressed through short-term, ad-hoc funding decisions. They require clear priorities, consistency over time and alignment with broader system outcomes.

Government’s policy direction is to consider fit-for-purpose future funding arrangements, including establishing clearer, longer-term funding objectives, principles and priorities that will enable meaningful system change, address market failures and system pressure points, and provide transparency in how decisions are made.

Being explicit about future investment objectives, principles and priorities means acknowledging that not all good ideas will be funded by government. Clear prioritisation is necessary to achieve lasting value. Public funding should also encourage private investment (including foreign direct investment) rather than replace it, and provide the long-term certainty investors need to commit to improvements in quality, sustainability and productivity.

This objective underpins the credibility of this Statement as an enduring framework, supporting investor confidence and reinforcing trust in public funding processes.

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