Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
Thank you for welcoming me here today, and for that lovely introduction from Rebecca Ingram from Tourism Industry Aotearoa.
I appreciate the great working relationships I have across the tourism sector and how we are united in wanting the best for our country.
It’s wonderful to be back in Rotorua – one of New Zealand’s best-known and best-loved tourism destinations.
Rotorua is actually the birthplace of New Zealand tourism.
In the 19th century, intrepid international tourists took a 75-day sea voyage from Britain to New Zealand, followed by a 200km steam train trip from Auckland to Tauranga, followed by a horse-drawn carriage ride to Lake Rotomahana via Rotorua (a distance over 100kms). All in pursuit of the famous pink and white geothermal terraces.
Once there, they were greeted by New Zealand’s first tour guides. Māori women from Rotorua’s local iwi Te Arawa demonstrated fantastic entrepreneurial spirit, not only by warmly welcoming these tourists but by developing businesses out of showing them what was then known as the “eighth wonder of the world”.
While the terraces were lost in a volcanic eruption in 1886, Rotorua’s geothermal attractions remain world-class. And its people remain some of the world’s best and most hospitable tourism operators.
I urge you to take the opportunity to experience all the amazing tourism experiences that Rotorua has to offer while you are here.
I was in Europe last week talking trade and security with our partners and also attending the Pope’s funeral, and I heard from people all around the world about how much they want to come visit New Zealand.
I can’t wait to work with all of you in the room today to welcome them here to experience all New Zealand has to offer.
Before we start, I would also like to thank the Premier Sponsor Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand, as well as all the prestigious event partners and organisers for bringing us all together and make TRENZ possible.
A special thanks to those who have travelled from overseas to understand and experience our tourism offerings. Your participation is essential to the success of TRENZ.
Context of TRENZ
Tourism is about people-to-people connection, and it is fantastic to welcome both the buyers and sellers to TRENZ.
As an industry, you should feel proud of your achievements in rebuilding our tourism sector and making such a huge contribution to our economy as a major employer and innovator.
You are our global ambassadors for New Zealand. And you foster thriving communities to live and work in.
We value you and the work you do enormously.
Importance of tourism to the New Zealand economy
Our Government is obsessed with economic growth because it is the only way Kiwis get higher incomes, more money in their pockets, more jobs, a future for their kids and grandkids, and better public services like health and education.
We can achieve this by playing to our strengths. New Zealanders are famous for our innovation and creativity – as demonstrated by those early Te Arawa tour guides. And we are also home to some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. Snow-capped mountains and fjords, golden sandy beaches, subtropical forests, and volcanic plateaus.
Mix those ingredients together and you have a recipe for world class tourism experiences.
So, it’s no wonder that tourism is a lynchpin of our economy.
Domestic and international tourism expenditure is now worth over $44 billion annually. Tourism contributed 7.5 per cent of New Zealand’s GDP and it continues to be our second highest export.
More than four in five New Zealand residents (82 per cent of us) benefited from tourism activity in their local area last year.
But we have room for more.
Last year, we welcomed over 3 million visitors to our country.
Which is a 12 per cent increase on the previous year, but still fewer than pre-Covid.
There is plenty of capacity for more international tourists to visit our shores.
There is also more capability and opportunities to provide more premium attractions and experiences. This doesn’t necessarily mean more expensive – it means more high-value.
As good as our recent growth has been, globally we are middle of the pack in terms of the productivity per capita, which is measured by total value of tourism divided by the number of people working in it.
If we push ourselves and get into the top 10 per cent of the most productive tourism markets in the world, we can generate another $9 billion in value for the industry.
I hope that provides you with the motivation you need to keep innovating and keep investing in your businesses and tourism experiences.
Because tourism is a competitive market, and our job is to make sure we’re at the top of people’s lists and that we are converting desire to travel into reality.
Broader benefits of tourism
Welcoming more visitors here means more full tables in our restaurants, more bookings for our local accommodation providers, and more people visiting our regions and attractions.
But it’s not just businesses that are directly connected to the industry that benefit from tourism. The benefits of tourism filters into so many aspects of our society and economy.
I have already mentioned our beautiful natural environment which is the backdrop of so much tourism in New Zealand.
One of New Zealand’s great success stories has been our efforts to eradicate invasive pests which damage our environment. We are now world leaders in pest eradication and have developed technologies and methods which we export to the world. But our success is partly thanks to eco-tourism, which provides us with the commercial incentive and revenue needed to undertake conservation work.
Great examples of this virtuous cycle exist right here in Rotorua. Rotorua Canopy Tours provides visitors with an exhilarating experience of ziplining through ancient, native forest and it helps fund local conservation efforts.
Reasons like this are why we are rolling out the red carpet and making it easier than ever for the world to visit our beautiful country.
Removing barriers and growing tourism
We’re at a pivotal moment where bold, decisive actions are essential to reignite our tourism industry and propel it back to the heights of 2019—and beyond.
The Government is fully committed to this mission.
We have already invested more than $20 million in a Tourism Boost package and will shortly be launching the Tourism Growth Roadmap.
These investments are not just steps; they’re leaps forward in our broader Going for Growth strategy. We’re not just aiming to recover—we’re aiming to thrive.
I know our Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, Louise Upston, has been working hard to identify ways we can boost international tourism in the short-term.
Last month, we announced over $13 million for Tourism New Zealand to further bolster our international marketing.
Our Government is also committed to enhancing airline connectivity, recognising that it’s the lifeline to strengthening our global ties and boosting tourism and trade.
We are working hard to build better airline connectivity with important emerging markets such as India. When in India recently, I was proud to witness the signing of a MoU between Air New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand and Air India to encourage commencement of direct (non-stop) flight operations between the two countries.
We’ve also relaxed our visitor visa rules to accommodate the modern traveller. Digital nomads can now work remotely for their overseas employers while exploring New Zealand.
Our visa process is becoming more efficient too. In 2024, the average visitor visa was approved in only 7 working days, which was 2 days faster than in 2023. This means people can plan their New Zealand adventure with confidence, knowing that we’re here to make your journey as smooth as possible.
And here’s more good news: the majority of visitors do not need a visa to come here and instead can travel on a New Zealand electronic Travel Authority, which are processed within 72 hours. And, we have visa waiver arrangements with 60 countries, which is more than most of our comparator countries.
We pride ourselves on our user-friendly immigration and border services, ensuring the arrival is as welcoming as our stunning landscapes. We are open for visitors, and we continue to offer stability, consistency, and transparency in our offerings.
Conclusion
In closing, I want to thank you. Thank you for your passion and resilience and for the incredible experiences you offer visitors. Thank you again Kerry, Bex, and TIA.
2025 is our chance to strengthen the value of tourism and drive New Zealand to be a humming, vibrant country. Together we can continue our work on being a resilient and prosperous sector that provides high-quality experiences and services.
But we have to be bold.
Let’s continue to push our boundaries to ensure that New Zealand remains a world leader.
Keep up the great work, I look forward to talking with more of you throughout the event.