A new campaign is set to boost New Zealand's tourism industry, aiming to encourage Australians to choose the country for their next holiday.

Launching in Australia this week, the initiative marks the first phase of the Government’s Tourism Boost, an effort to drive both international tourism and economic growth in 2025.

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston expressed excitement about the campaign’s potential.

"We always love to see our Australian friends holidaying here, staying with local accommodation providers, soaking up Kiwi experiences, and enjoying hospitality in restaurants, bars, and cafes," she said.

Tourism remains a key economic driver for New Zealand, with domestic and international tourism expenditure approaching $38 billion and supporting nearly 200,000 jobs.

Minister Upston highlighted the role of this campaign in sustaining the sector’s growth.

“This is the first investment for our Tourism Boost, utilising $500,000 from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, with more initiatives planned,” she said.

While Australian visitor numbers are currently at around 88 per cent of 2019 levels, the campaign seeks to boost this figure further.

"Visitor arrivals from Australia increased by over 90,000 last year, rising from 1.27 million to 1.36 million," Upston noted.

The new push, with the tagline “Everyone must go,” is designed to inspire even more Australians to visit New Zealand soon, highlighting both the affordability of the trips and the country's open-for-business attitude.

Upston revealed that figures show around 4 million Australians are actively considering a holiday in New Zealand, indicating a large potential market for growth.

“We all want to encourage Australians to visit, spend, and have a fantastic time in New Zealand,” she added, pointing out that Tourism New Zealand has partnered with other organisations to support the campaign.

The campaign is part of the broader Government initiative known as Going For Growth, which aims to unlock New Zealand’s economic potential through strategic investment and industry collaboration.

Upston emphasised the importance of working alongside businesses to ensure both short-term and long-term tourism growth.

The campaign follows the Government's commitment to strengthening the tourism sector, which continues to be an essential pillar for New Zealand's economic recovery and sustainability.

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