New Zealand turns out to be a preferred vacation hotspot for overseas travellers

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Mastercard data in terms of inbound tourist travel trends has unveiled that New Zealand is most popular with Australia, China and USA tourists. Around 40% of our visitors are our nearest neighbors in Australia, after China (11%) and the USA (8%) respectively.

 
Over the winter months New Zealand witnesses a growth in the international and domestic traveler number visiting its cities, with winter vacation hotspots in Queenstown having the largest share of hotel accommodation domestic spending growth in last year, with peaks between April and August.

 
“Across the world, international travel is growing at an incredible rate. In New Zealand, tourism is one of our most important industries, so it is important to understand where tourists are coming from and what they are doing while visiting so local Kiwi businesses can make the most of these tourists and offer them a fantastic experience,” says Ruth Riviere, Mastercard Country Manager for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

 
Mastercard Consumer Purchasing Priorities research discovered that the activities international tourists are relishing are entertainment (95%), sightseeing (33%) and shopping (19%).

 
“We are seeing a shift in overall spending patterns with people valuing experiences over things, which are driving an increase in tourism and holidays. Travellers are planning their vacations around bucket list activities and for the cultural experience,” says Ruth Riviere.

 
The Mastercard consumer survey uncovered that credit cards are the preferred mode of payment for overseas travelers (61%), because it feels safer than cash (47%) and is more convenient (29%). Characteristically, international travelers use payment cards to pay for hotels (31%), meals (21%) and tourist attractions (17%).

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