New Zealand Visitors to Australia – Statistics (2026)

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Updated

At a glance

  • 1.30 million New Zealand visitors came to Australia in 2025, up 3.4% on 2024 and 0.3% above 2019.1
  • New Zealand was Australia's largest source of visitors in 2025, with 15.7% of all international visitor trips, ahead of China.1
  • New Zealand visitors spent $2.41 billion in Australia in 2025, up 16.8% on 2024, and $3.67 billion including airfares and other trip costs.1
  • In the year ending June 2026, about 1.30 million New Zealand visitors came to Australia, up 3.0%.2
  • In August 2026, 110,210 short-term visitors arrived from New Zealand, more than from any other country.3
  • New Zealand visitors stayed about 12 nights per trip on average in 2025, far shorter than the 38-night average for all international visitors.1
  • Travel goes both ways: 1.60 million visitors from Australia arrived in New Zealand in the year to August 2026.4

How many New Zealand tourists visit Australia each year?

About 1.30 million New Zealand visitors travelled to Australia in 2025.1

  • That is up 3.4% on 2024, when 1.26 million New Zealand visitors came.1
  • It is also 0.3% above 2019, when 1.30 million New Zealanders visited, so visitor numbers are now just past their pre-pandemic level.5
  • In 2025, New Zealand was Australia's largest source of visitors, with 15.7% of all international visitor trips, ahead of China.1
New Zealand visitors to Australia by yearAnnual visitor trips, year ending December 2019–2025500K1M1.5M88,6381.3M2019202020212022202320242025YearVisitors (trips)
New Zealand tourist arrivals in Australia, 2019-2025 (year ending December).
New Zealand visitors to Australia by year (2019–2025)
YearNew Zealand visitorsChange on previous year
20191,299,0005–
20231,147,0006–
20241,260,0001+9.8%
20251,303,0001+3.4%

Source · Tourism Research Australia, International Visitor Survey (trips by visitors aged 15 and over, year ending December). 2020 to 2022 are not shown because of the border closures.

How many New Zealand tourists have visited Australia in 2026?

About 1.30 million New Zealand visitors travelled to Australia in the year ending June 2026, a 3.0% increase on the year ending June 2025.2

  • New Zealand visitors spent $2.33 billion in Australia over the same 12 months, up 8.8%.2
  • In the June quarter of 2026, around 306,000 New Zealand visitors came to Australia, 6.4% fewer than in the June quarter of 2025.2
  • In August 2026, 110,210 short-term visitors arrived from New Zealand, down 3.9% on August 2025 but still more than from any other country, ahead of China (106,990). That is about 12% below the 124,710 New Zealand arrivals in August 2019.3
  • Adding up the monthly figures, 882,730 short-term visitors arrived from New Zealand between January and August 2026, 0.6% fewer than in the same months of 2025 and about 98% of the 2019 level. July was the busiest month, with 134,260 arrivals.

Full-year 2026 figures are not out yet. The latest annual figures cover the year to June 2026, and the August 2026 arrivals are provisional.

Short-term visitor arrivals from New Zealand by month (2019, 2025 and 2026)
Month2019202520262026 vs 2025
January92,67096,250102,4707+6.5%
February92,29088,80085,1908−4.1%
March109,920104,570115,7609+10.7%
April119,220123,950124,76010+0.7%
May117,520117,250111,12011−5.2%
June109,910119,73098,96012−17.3%
July133,630122,910134,26013+9.2%
August124,710114,660110,2103−3.9%

Source · Australian Bureau of Statistics, Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia (short-term visitor arrivals from New Zealand; each month as first published, the latest month provisional).

New Zealand's share of visitors to Australia

  • In 2025, New Zealand accounted for 15.7% of all international visitor trips to Australia, more than any other country and ahead of China (11.8%). Together, the two made up 27.5% of all visitor trips.1

Australia's top visitor markets in 2025

Who visited Australia in 2025?Top 10 visitor markets by trips ('000), year ending December 2025New Zealand1,303China974UK721USA697India429Singapore386Japan385Korea363Hong Kong228Indonesia2182025
Australia's top 10 visitor markets by number of trips, year ending December 2025.

How much did visitors from New Zealand spend in Australia in 2025?

New Zealand visitors spent about $3.67 billion on trips to Australia in 2025, counting airfares and other costs paid outside Australia.1

  • Spending within Australia rose 16.8%, from $2.06 billion in 2024 to $2.41 billion in 2025. Total trip spending grew 11.2%, from $3.30 billion to $3.67 billion.
  • Both are now well past pre-pandemic levels: spending in Australia was 47.8% higher than in 2019 ($1.63 billion), and total trip spending was 40.8% higher ($2.60 billion).
  • New Zealand ranked 4th for total trip spending by international visitors in 2025, and 3rd for spending within Australia (behind China and the United Kingdom).
Spending by New Zealand visitors to Australia, year ending December ($)
YearSpend in AustraliaTotal trip spend
201951.63 B2.60 B
202014–0.51 B
2021150.25 B0.33 B
2022151.02 B1.65 B
202362.00 B3.22 B
202412.06 B3.30 B
202512.41 B3.67 B

Source · Tourism Research Australia, International Visitor Survey (spending by New Zealand visitors, year ending December). “Spend in Australia” counts spending within Australia only. “Total trip spend” also includes costs outside Australia, such as international flights and pre-trip costs. 2020 spending within Australia was not published.

New Zealand's share of visitor spending in Australia

  • New Zealand visitors' $2.41 billion made up about 6.1% of all international visitor spending within Australia in 2025, the third-largest share after China and the UK.1
Who spent the most in Australia in 2025?Visitor spend in Australia by country of residence (A$), year ending December 2025Top 10 of 11 shownChina$11.25BUnited Kingdom$2.87BNew Zealand$2.41BUnited States$2.4BIndia$1.83BJapan$1.62BKorea$1.44BHong Kong$1.13BSingapore$1.12BTaiwan$980MSpend in Australia 2025 (AUD)
Visitor spending in Australia by country of residence, year ending December 2025.

What do New Zealand tourists spend on in Australia?

Of the $3.67 billion New Zealand visitors spent on trips to Australia in 2025, more than two-thirds went on airfares or on food, drink and accommodation.1

  • Food, drink and accommodation: $1.40 billion (38%)
  • Airfares: $1.10 billion (30%)
  • Shopping: $0.39 billion (11%)
  • Transport: $0.24 billion (7%)
  • Tours: $0.20 billion (6%)
  • Other spending: $0.15 billion (4%)
  • Entertainment: $0.11 billion (3%)
  • Education: $0.08 billion (2%)1

Per night, New Zealand visitors spent about $167 in 2025, excluding airfares. That is less than Americans ($228) and Chinese visitors ($221), but more than Britons ($116) and Indians ($69).1

How much do New Zealand visitors spend per night in Australia? (2025)Average spend per visitor night by item, excluding airfares (A$): New Zealand vs all international visitorsNew ZealandAll international visitorsTourism Research Australia, International Visitor Survey, year ending December 2025Food, drink & accommodation$91$61Tours & transport$29$21Shopping$25$14Other (incl. entertainment)$17$10Education$5$27
Average spend per visitor night in Australia by item, excluding airfares: New Zealand visitors compared with all international visitors, 2025.

Why do so many New Zealanders visit Australia?

Visiting friends and relatives is the top reason. In 2025, 40% of New Zealand visitors came to see friends or family, compared with 34% of all international visitors. Another 39% came for a holiday and 14% on business.16

  • Most are repeat visitors: 87% of New Zealand visitors in 2025 had been to Australia before, against 59% of all international visitors.16
  • Around 638,000 New Zealand-born people live in Australia, which goes a long way to explaining all those family visits.17
  • Australia is a short flight away, and New Zealand citizens get their visa on arrival (see the quick answers below).
Why do New Zealanders visit Australia? (2025)Share of visitors by main reason for visit: New Zealand vs all international visitorsNew ZealandAll international visitorsTourism Research Australia, Visitor economy profile 2025: New ZealandVisiting friends and relatives40%34%Holiday39%43%Business14%9%Employment3%4%Education1%7%Other reason4%3%
Main reason for visiting Australia: New Zealand visitors compared with all international visitors, 2025.

How many New Zealanders live in Australia?

About 638,000 people born in New Zealand lived in Australia at 30 June 2025, up from 618,000 a year earlier. They were Australia's fourth-largest overseas-born group, after people born in India, England and China, and made up 2.3% of the population.17

  • Ten years earlier, in 2015, about 575,000 New Zealand-born people lived in Australia.17
  • This large community is a big reason so many New Zealanders cross the Tasman: visiting friends and relatives was the top reason for New Zealand visitors in 2025 (40%).16

How long do New Zealanders stay in Australia?

  • New Zealand visitors spent 15.4 million nights in Australia in 2025, an average of about 12 nights per trip. The average for all international visitors was 38 nights.1
    • This is likely because many come to visit friends and relatives (40% in 2025, the most common reason), and New Zealand is close to Australia.
  • New Zealand had the shortest average stay of any market Tourism Research Australia reports.

Where do New Zealanders travel overseas?

  • In 2015, around 75% of New Zealanders held a passport18.
  • Australia is by far New Zealanders' most common destination. Of New Zealand residents returning from an overseas trip in August 2026, 41% were coming back from Australia, ahead of Fiji (10%) and the Cook Islands, the UK and the US (5% each).4

Where do New Zealand tourists go in Australia?

Queensland is the clear favourite. In 2025, 39% of New Zealand visitors went to Queensland, compared with 29% of all international visitors. Fewer went to New South Wales (34%, against 50%) or Victoria (28%, against 34%).16 Popular starting points for a Queensland campervan trip include the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Cairns.

  • Western Australia: 6% (all international visitors: 13%)
  • South Australia: 3% (5%)
  • Tasmania: 2% (3%)
  • ACT: 1% (2%)
  • Northern Territory: 1% (3%)16

Most stay close to the big centres: 88% of New Zealand visitors went to a capital city or the Gold Coast, and 26% travelled further afield.16 Visitors can go to more than one place, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

The monthly arrivals tell the same story. Of the 110,210 short-term visitors who arrived from New Zealand in August 2026, by state of intended stay:

  • Queensland: 47,720 (43%)
  • New South Wales: 30,400 (28%)
  • Victoria: 21,830 (20%)
  • Western Australia: 6,030 (5%)
  • South Australia: 2,170 (2%)
  • Northern Territory: 840 (0.8%)
  • ACT: 730 (0.7%)
  • Tasmania: 460 (0.4%)3

New Zealand was the top source of visitors to Queensland in August 2026, with 1.7 times as many arrivals as Japan, the next-largest market.3

Where do New Zealand visitors go in Australia? (2025)Share of visitors who visited each state or territory: New Zealand vs all international visitorsNew ZealandAll international visitorsTourism Research Australia, Visitor economy profile 2025: New ZealandQueensland39%29%New South Wales34%50%Victoria28%34%Western Australia6%13%South Australia3%5%Tasmania2%3%ACT1%2%Northern Territory1%3%
States and territories visited by New Zealand visitors compared with all international visitors, 2025. Visitors can go to more than one state, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

Do New Zealand tourists go camping in Australia?

There is no current national count of New Zealand visitors who hire campervans or stay in caravan parks, because the caravan industry's latest national report includes no international visitor figures.19 What data there is shows New Zealand is one of the main overseas markets for caravan and camping in New South Wales, although most New Zealand visitors take short trips and stay in the cities.

  • New Zealand was one of the top three international markets for caravan and camping visitors to New South Wales in 2025, alongside the United Kingdom and Germany. That year, 86,000 international caravan and camping visitors came to the state (up 10.4%), and they stayed 801,500 nights.20
  • Across all international visitors, nights in caravan parks and commercial camping grounds rose 39.2% to 3.39 million in 2025. Another 1.50 million nights were spent caravanning or camping outside commercial parks.1
  • In 2025, 26% of New Zealand visitors travelled beyond the capital cities and the Gold Coast, compared with 29% of all international visitors.16
  • Most trips are short: 59% of New Zealand visitors stayed 1 to 7 nights in 2025, compared with 34% of all international visitors.16
  • Only 19% of New Zealand visitors went to a national or state park in 2025, compared with 45% of all international visitors.16
  • Tasmania welcomed 19,100 New Zealand visitors in the year ending March 2026 (down 7.4%), who stayed 211,100 nights, an average of 11.1 nights each. New Zealand is the only market with direct flights to Tasmania.21

Campgrounds worth seeing

New Zealand visitors favour Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and each has national park campgrounds worth the trip. Book your site before you go.

  • K'gari (Fraser Island), Queensland: Central Station, inland from Eurong, is a large fenced camping area in the rainforest, with walks close by. You need a camping permit and a vehicle access permit before you arrive.22
  • Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Queensland: Tent camping right by the beach's white silica sand, at one of 25 camping spots in the Whitsunday Islands. Bring your own fresh water.23
  • Illaroo campground, Yuraygir National Park, New South Wales: 70 beachfront sites near Grafton and Wooli for tents, camper trailers and caravans.24 The North Coast was one of the most popular regions for international caravan and camping visitors to New South Wales in 2025.20
  • Tidal River, Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria: The Prom's most popular and best-equipped campground, with 484 camping and caravan sites a short walk from Norman Beach.25

Heading to Tasmania? See our guide to camping in Tasmania.

Campervan hire in Australia

Growth in New Zealand visits to Australia

More than 1.4 million New Zealand tourists visited Australia between July 2018 and June 2019. Numbers grew every financial year from 2013-14 to 2018-19, rising from 1.23 million to 1.41 million.26

When China overtook New Zealand, and how New Zealand regained top spot

  • New Zealand was Australia's biggest source of visitors until 2017-18, when China overtook it with 1.42 million visitors to New Zealand's 1.37 million.
  • China stayed ahead in 2018-19, with 1.43 million visitors to New Zealand's 1.41 million.
  • New Zealand is back on top. In 2025, 1.30 million New Zealand visitors came to Australia, well ahead of China's 974,000.1
New Zealand vs Chinese visitors to AustraliaShort-term visitor arrivals by financial yearNew ZealandChinaABS, Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia (financial-year releases 2023-24 to 2025-26)500K1M1.5M2013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26Financial year
Short-term visitor arrivals to Australia from New Zealand and China by financial year, 2013-14 to 2025-26.
  • Visitor numbers from New Zealand grew 2.6% in 2018-19, faster than China's 0.8%. India grew fastest that year, at 11.1%.
  • In 2018-19, New Zealand and China were well ahead of every other country. The next-largest market was the USA, with 811,900 visitors to Australia.

How COVID-19 affected New Zealand visitors and spending

More than 1 million New Zealand visitors travelled to Australia in the year ending June 2020.26

  • New Zealand was Australia's largest source of visitors again in 2019-20.
  • Even so, numbers fell 26.8% from 1.4 million the year before, mainly because of coronavirus travel restrictions.

New Zealand visitors spent an estimated $1.9 billion on visits to Australia in the year ending June 2020, down 26.9% on the $2.6 billion of the year before.

Grouped column infographic comparing 2019 and 2020 Australian visitor numbers by source country, with percentage-decline callouts per country.
Visitor arrivals to Australia by source country, years ending June 2019 and June 2020.
Infographic comparing 2019 versus 2020 visitor expenditure in Australia by source country, with a per-country percentage-decrease column.
Visitor expenditure in Australia by source country, years ending June 2019 and June 2020.

New Zealand tourism in Australia: quick answers

Is New Zealand Australia's biggest source of tourists?

Yes. New Zealand was Australia's largest source of international visitors in 2025, with 1.30 million trips (15.7% of all international visitor trips), ahead of China's 974,000.1

How much does a New Zealand tourist spend in Australia?

On average, New Zealand visitors spent about $1,850 per trip within Australia in 2025 ($2.41 billion across 1.30 million trips).1 Including airfares and other costs outside Australia, the average trip cost about $2,800.

How long do New Zealand tourists stay in Australia?

New Zealand visitors spent 15.4 million nights in Australia in 2025, an average of about 12 nights per trip, compared with about 38 nights for all international visitors.1

What month do most New Zealanders visit Australia?

So far in 2026, July has been the busiest month, with 134,260 short-term visitors arriving from New Zealand.13 April (124,760) and March (115,760) were next. Full-year figures for 2026 are not out yet.

Do New Zealanders need a visa for Australia?

New Zealand citizens apply for a Special Category visa (subclass 444) when they arrive, and it is processed at the airport or seaport. The visa ends when they leave Australia, so they get a new one on each trip.27

How many Australians visit New Zealand?

In the year to August 2026, 1.60 million visitors from Australia arrived in New Zealand, up 132,000 on the year before. Australians made up 51% of all overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand in August 2026.4

More tourism statistics

References

  1. International tourism results — year ending December 2025 (International Visitor Survey) · Tourism Research Australia ↑ b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w
  2. International tourism results — year ending June 2026 (International Visitor Survey) · Tourism Research Australia ↑ b c d
  3. Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, August 2026 · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑ b c d e
  4. International travel: August 2026 · stats.govt.nz ↑ b c
  5. IVS results for the year ending December 2024 compared to December 2019 · Tourism Research Australia ↑ b c
  6. IVS results for the year ending December 2024 compared to December 2023 · Tourism Research Australia ↑ b
  7. Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, January 2026 · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑
  8. Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, February 2026 · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑
  9. Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, March 2026 · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑
  10. Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, April 2026 · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑
  11. Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, May 2026 · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑
  12. Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, June 2026 · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑
  13. Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, July 2026 (time series tables 1, 7 and 8) · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑ b
  14. International Visitor Survey tourism results — year ending December 2020 compared with 2019 (Tourism Research Australia) · Tourism Research Australia ↑
  15. International Visitor Survey tourism results — year ending December 2022 compared with 2021 (Tourism Research Australia) · Tourism Research Australia ↑ b
  16. TRA market profile: New Zealand 2025 (Tourism Research Australia) · Tourism Research Australia ↑ b c d e f g h i
  17. Australia's population by country of birth, June 2025 (ABS) · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑ b c
  18. Department of Internal Affairs (NZ) — High demand for 10-year passports (media release, 11 December 2015) · dia.govt.nz ↑
  19. Caravan and Camping State of Industry 2025 (Caravan Industry Association of Australia) · assets.pc.gov.au ↑
  20. NSW Government media release: NSW number one for caravan and camping trips · nsw.gov.au ↑ b
  21. Tourism Tasmania, international visitor profile, year ending March 2026 · tourismtasmania.com.au ↑
  22. K'gari (Fraser Island) camping areas — Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service · parks.qld.gov.au ↑
  23. Whitsunday Islands National Park camping — Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service · parks.qld.gov.au ↑
  24. Illaroo campground, Yuraygir National Park — NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service · nationalparks.nsw.gov.au ↑
  25. Tidal River Campground — Wilsons Promontory National Park, Parks Victoria · parks.vic.gov.au ↑
  26. ABS: Overseas arrivals and departures, Australia · Australian Bureau of Statistics ↑ b
  27. Special Category visa (subclass 444) — Department of Home Affairs · immi.homeaffairs.gov.au ↑
  28. TRA — International tourism results, Australia, March 2024 · Tourism Research Australia
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