Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston has announced a $13.5 million investment in international tourism marketing, which the government hopes will bring an additional 72,000 overseas visitors to New Zealand.
The funding, allocated to Tourism New Zealand, will target key markets including Australia, the United States, and China.
Upston said around 14% of international holidaymakers are directly influenced by the agency’s marketing efforts.
The investment marks the first step in the Government’s ‘Tourism Growth Roadmap’, aiming to double tourism export value by 2034.
With an estimated $300 million in visitor spending, the move is said to deliver a significant return while supporting jobs and boosting economic growth nationwide.
The funding comes from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy for the 2025/26 financial year.
Image credit: Tobias Keller
What a joke. Get the homeless and petty crims on benefits off our streets and stop building cheap ticky tacky future ghetto townhouses from semi permanent cladding with no storage or parking in our CBDs. I live in a tourist town and the government policies have turned it into a feral sh1thole.
Last week 2 drunk ‘locals’ abused everyone in one of our local tourist spots, assaulted 5 people including 2 guys with gang tattoos and ankle monitors who – bless them – tried to diffuse the situation but were rewarded with a punch to the face and spat at. The manager of the establishment got a broken nose and 2 black eyes and the 2 drunk women called everyone colonisers who were on their land. (Obviously followers of TPM lol) The police did come finally to arrest them and I understand they were up in court the next day. On top of this another local told my husband someone tried to intervene in a similar situation elsewhere a few weeks prior and got stabbed. This person later died. NONE OF THIS IS REPORTED BY THE MEDIA.
Furthermore, in the last few days homeless people have been filmed having sex under a blanket during the morning in broad daylight.
Honestly Labour and now National have ruined this country with their lax approach to welfare bludgers and dumb housing policies and turned it into a dumpster fire and now they want to use OUR money to promote tourism? What a joke. Tourists don’t feel safe in this country. Someone had even stolen the bolts and wood from a local park bench I usually sit on the other day. What next?
This is what happens when you give people money for nothing and import people from other countries to work instead and then allow the, to bring in their elderly parents.
I hope one of my kids moves overseas so I can follow them. 7 generations of New Zealanders and we have come to this.
Bravo all you sell out WEF communist politicians. Bravo. 👎👎👎
I’m guessing Rotorua, one of the most excuisite and unique destinations in the world. You are right. Successive Governments have failed us. Appealingly. The Maori radicalization and it’s impact on the low intellect cohort – – a sizable bunch — is awful. Awful that moderates need to tolerate these disgusting filthy things as they blame one and all for their failures. Just wait until you see the mythical Maori infused messages in the 13 million campaign. It will be fairy tale crud at best!
What’s the slogan Upston. The time of your life in Aotearoa Apartheid New Zealand.