New Zealand sees tourism recovering

WELLINGTON, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) — New Zealand’s international tourism is continuing to recover from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, according to the International Visitor Survey published on Wednesday.
International tourism contributed 2.6 billion NZ dollars to New Zealand’s economy in the June quarter, up 17 percent from the same period last year, said the survey.
Annually, international visitors contributed a total of 11.6 billion NZ dollars to the country’s economy in the year to June 30, it said, adding the increase in tourism spending last year is promising, in particular the increase in higher spending tourists.
International tourism is New Zealand’s second-highest export earner after dairy and is a key part of the government’s plan to rebuild the economy, said Tourism Minister Matt Doocey.
The number of international visitors has increased by 5 percent in the June quarter from the same period last year, Doocey said.
The New Zealand government has just significantly increased the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy to ensure visitors’ contribution to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting New Zealand,
Start from October, most tourists will pay 100 NZ dollars to the government, up from the current 35 NZ dollars, when applying for a visa or New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, according to the announcement on Tuesday. (1 New Zealand dollar equals 0.62 U.S. dollars) ■