Tourism statisticsCountry2026

New Zealand Tourism Statistics: 3.2M Arrivals in 2024

Q: How many tourists visit New Zealand?

New Zealand had 3.2 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, according to UN Tourism, via Our World in Data. Domestic trips are not in that count. AirROI estimates 959,919 Airbnb stays in New Zealand in the 12 months to October 2026, which is a separate count of bookings.

Q: What is the quietest month in New Zealand?

June was the quietest Airbnb month in New Zealand in the 12 months to October 2026, ranking 12th of 12, and May ranked 11th. Stays in June were booked about 36 days ahead, against 77 days for December.

Q: How long is a typical Airbnb stay in New Zealand?

A typical Airbnb stay in New Zealand lasted 4.4 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 61 days ahead. By month, stays ran from 3.7 nights in September to 5.3 nights in July.

New Zealand recorded 3.2 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, UN Tourism reports, via Our World in Data. This counts people crossing a border, so domestic trips are not in it. AirROI estimates 959,919 Airbnb stays in New Zealand in the 12 months to October 2026, with Queenstown the most booked city. The busiest month was January.

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou, Founder @ AirROI Updated November 4, 2026

Airbnb figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026. Read the method

Estimated Airbnb nights: 4,231,676
Typical Airbnb stay: 4.4 nights
Busiest Airbnb month: January
From abroad, among guests who left a review: 55%

Key facts

New Zealand Tourism Facts

Each sentence names its place, period and source, so it can be quoted alone.

Official

UN Tourism puts New Zealand at 3.2 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, via Our World in Data.

Airbnb stays

AirROI puts Airbnb stays in New Zealand at 959,919 in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Airbnb stays in New Zealand added up to 4,231,676 nights in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates a typical Airbnb stay in New Zealand lasted 4.4 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 61 days ahead.

Busiest months

AirROI ranks January the busiest Airbnb month in New Zealand in the 12 months to October 2026, followed by February and March, with June the quietest.
AirROI estimates the six busiest Airbnb months in New Zealand ran unbroken from November to April in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Airbnb stays in New Zealand in December were booked furthest ahead, about 77 days, against 36 days for June, in the 12 months to October 2026.

Guests

AirROI estimates 55% of New Zealand Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026 came from abroad, led by Australia at 16% and the United States at 12%.

By place

AirROI ranks New Zealand 19th for Airbnb stays among the 157 countries in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Queenstown had the most Airbnb stays of the 67 towns it lists in New Zealand in the 12 months to October 2026, at 106,122, ahead of Christchurch and Auckland.

Official numbers

How Many Tourists Visit New Zealand?

UN Tourism counted 3.2 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, via Our World in Data.

Official tourism figures for New Zealand: what each counts, its year and its publisher
Figure	What it counts	Year	Publisher
3.2 millionInternational tourist arrivals	Trips by visitors arriving from abroad who stay at least one night, each arrival counted separately	2024	UN Tourism, via Our World in Data

Airbnb stays

Airbnb Stays in New Zealand

New Zealand had 35,841 Airbnb homes in the 12 months to October 2026. They took an estimated 959,919 stays and 4,231,676 nights. A typical stay lasted 4.4 nights and was booked about 61 days ahead. AirROI's figures cover the 209 towns it tracks in New Zealand; places it does not track are not counted, so every total is a floor.

Airbnb homes: 35,841
Airbnb stays, estimate: 959,919
Airbnb nights, estimate: 4,231,676
Typical stay: 4.4 nights
Booked ahead: 61 days

Busiest months

When Is the Busiest Time in New Zealand?

On Airbnb, January was the busiest month in New Zealand in the 12 months to October 2026, then February and March. June was the quietest. The six busiest months run unbroken from November to April.

January ranks first, June last

Airbnb months in calendar order, 12 months to October 2026. The number is the month's rank, and 1 is the busiest. The bar shows its part of Airbnb nights.

Three busiest months
Other months

From busiest to quietest: January, February, March, December, November, April, September, July, August, October, May, June.

Month by month: rank, typical stay and days booked ahead

Airbnb months in New Zealand by rank, with share of nights, typical stay and days booked ahead, 12 months to October 2026
Rank	Month	Share of nights	Typical stay	Booked ahead
1	January	10.4%	4.5 nights	73 days
2	February	9.7%	4.2 nights	72 days
3	March	9.6%	3.9 nights	60 days
4	December	9.6%	5.1 nights	77 days
5	November	8.5%	4.1 nights	71 days
6	April	8.1%	3.8 nights	56 days
7	September	7.8%	3.7 nights	50 days
8	July	7.7%	5.3 nights	53 days
9	August	7.7%	4.6 nights	54 days
10	October	7.6%	3.9 nights	58 days
11	May	6.6%	4.1 nights	41 days
12	June	6.6%	4.8 nights	36 days

Share is each month's part of the year's Airbnb nights. Typical stay and days booked ahead are AirROI estimates for stays in each month.

Where guests come from

Where Do New Zealand Airbnb Guests Come From?

Among New Zealand Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, 55% came from abroad, led by Australia at 16% and the United States at 12%, AirROI estimates. Among the same guests, Auckland was the top origin city at 14%, ahead of Wellington at 6.8%. The figures rest on 3,161,081 reviews, written over many years.

55% from abroad

Among guests who left a review, as of October 2026

Top countries abroad

Among guests who left a review

Australia 16%
United States 12%
United Kingdom 6.8%
China 1.9%
Canada 1.2%

Top origin cities

Among guests who left a review

Auckland 14%
Wellington 6.8%
Christchurch 2.5%

By town

Most Booked Towns in New Zealand

Queenstown, Christchurch and Auckland took 27% of Airbnb stays in New Zealand in the 12 months to October 2026. January is the busiest Airbnb month in 43 of the 67 towns, led by Tauranga, and February in 10, led by Christchurch. Among guests who left a review, the share from abroad across the 25 most booked towns runs from 29% in Tauranga to 88% in Fiordland Community.

Most Booked Towns in New Zealand: Airbnb stays, nights and typical stay, 12 months to October 2026; with origin among guests who left a review
#
1	Queenstown	106,122	494,768	4.7 nights	84%	Australia	August
2	Christchurch	83,070	369,344	4.4 nights	57%	Australia	February
3	Auckland	67,836	426,864	6.3 nights	50%	Australia	February
4	Wānaka	37,763	175,713	4.7 nights	80%	Australia	August
5	Waitematā	35,119	194,522	5.5 nights	62%	US	March
6	Tauranga	31,426	168,324	5.4 nights	29%	Australia	January
7	Taupō	31,258	114,455	3.7 nights	45%	Australia	January
8	Wellington	30,530	146,096	4.8 nights	51%	Australia	February
9	Rotorua	30,460	104,347	3.4 nights	63%	US	January
10	Lake Tekapo	27,540	62,814	2.3 nights	88%	Australia	December
11	Dunedin	19,166	73,538	3.8 nights	56%	Australia	February
12	Hamilton	15,554	71,590	4.6 nights	39%	Australia	January
13	Fiordland Community	15,462	48,596	3.1 nights	88%	US	January
14	Twizel	15,034	50,399	3.4 nights	83%	Australia	March
15	Waiheke	14,691	59,746	4.1 nights	46%	Australia	January
16	Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community	14,398	61,522	4.3 nights	55%	Australia	January
17	Napier	12,411	54,706	4.4 nights	40%	Australia	January
18	Nelson	12,002	69,902	5.8 nights	54%	US	March
19	New Plymouth	10,943	46,331	4.2 nights	36%	Australia	January
20	Raglan	10,419	45,816	4.4 nights	45%	US	January
21	Rodney	9,846	39,218	4.0 nights	29%	Australia	January
22	Hanmer Springs	9,756	25,401	2.6 nights	32%	Australia	January
23	Kaikōura	9,050	21,797	2.4 nights	70%	US	February
24	Jacks Point	8,547	50,432	5.9 nights	74%	Australia	February
25	Banks Peninsula Community	7,951	26,114	3.3 nights	53%	Australia	January
26	Martinborough Community	6,292	18,939	3.0 nights	20%	Australia	January
27	Arrowtown	6,145	31,291	5.1 nights	56%	Australia	February
28	Lower Hutt	5,990	33,277	5.6 nights	32%	Australia	December
29	Ohakune	5,843	18,115	3.1 nights	35%	Australia	August
30	Whitianga	5,684	20,628	3.6 nights	59%	Australia	January
31	Whangārei	5,548	25,228	4.5 nights	38%	Australia	November
32	Havelock North	5,521	25,098	4.5 nights	22%	Australia	January
33	Te Anau	5,473	21,409	3.9 nights	88%	Australia	January
34	Palmerston North	5,306	24,046	4.5 nights	20%	Australia	March
35	Te Hiku Community	5,254	24,428	4.6 nights	44%	Australia	January
36	Cambridge	4,728	19,093	4.0 nights	36%	Australia	January
37	Franklin	4,663	21,319	4.6 nights	37%	Australia	January
38	Cromwell Community	4,546	17,319	3.8 nights	53%	Australia	February
39	Albert Town	4,489	21,115	4.7 nights	74%	Australia	August
40	Whanganui	4,424	18,485	4.2 nights	28%	Australia	January
41	Gisborne	4,362	21,155	4.8 nights	27%	Australia	January
42	Blenheim	4,182	17,515	4.2 nights	52%	Australia	March
43	Waitākere Ranges	4,114	17,794	4.3 nights	55%	US	January
44	Invercargill	3,903	16,340	4.2 nights	46%	Australia	February
45	Hastings	3,752	17,242	4.6 nights	25%	Australia	January
46	Masterton	3,475	14,754	4.2 nights	18%	Australia	January
47	Whangamatā	3,428	15,558	4.5 nights	34%	Australia	January
48	Tūrangi	3,422	10,755	3.1 nights	63%	US	January
49	Lake Hāwea	3,384	17,529	5.2 nights	77%	Australia	January
50	Mangawhai Heads	3,345	16,010	4.8 nights	25%	UK	January
51	Paraparaumu	3,273	14,493	4.4 nights	25%	Australia	January
52	Picton	3,180	10,547	3.3 nights	61%	Australia	January
53	Waihi Beach	3,076	13,277	4.3 nights	28%	Australia	January
54	Oamaru	3,054	7,414	2.4 nights	66%	Australia	February
55	Methven	3,012	10,719	3.6 nights	39%	Australia	August
56	Vincent Community	2,845	12,123	4.3 nights	35%	Australia	March
57	Porirua	2,815	15,152	5.4 nights	31%	Australia	January
58	Hahei	2,668	10,499	3.9 nights	75%	US	January
59	Coromandel	2,604	8,586	3.3 nights	57%	Australia	January
60	Mangawhai	2,520	11,677	4.6 nights	26%	Australia	January
61	Cooks Beach	2,367	9,973	4.2 nights	67%	UK	January
62	Tairua	2,317	11,022	4.8 nights	61%	US	January
63	Kinloch	2,158	10,008	4.6 nights	37%	Australia	January
64	Kaikohe-Hokianga Community	2,020	7,856	3.9 nights	46%	Australia	January
65	Kaiteriteri	1,943	8,128	4.2 nights	68%	US	January
66	Ōhope	1,822	11,342	6.2 nights	24%	Australia	January
67	Pauanui	1,091	4,243	3.9 nights	27%	Australia	January

* Among guests who left a review. Stays, nights and other figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, and cover Airbnb only. New Zealand is the top origin in 58 of 67 towns, among guests who left a review, so this column names the top country abroad. Lists the 67 of New Zealand's 209 towns with 100 or more Airbnb homes. A town with no tourism page of its own links to its Airbnb market page.

FAQ

Questions About Tourism in New Zealand

How many tourists visit New Zealand?

New Zealand had 3.2 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, according to UN Tourism, via Our World in Data. Domestic trips are not in that count. AirROI estimates 959,919 Airbnb stays in New Zealand in the 12 months to October 2026, which is a separate count of bookings.

When is high season in New Zealand?

The busiest Airbnb month in New Zealand in the 12 months to October 2026 was January, then February and March. The six busiest months run from November to April.

What is the quietest month in New Zealand?

June was the quietest Airbnb month in New Zealand in the 12 months to October 2026, ranking 12th of 12, and May ranked 11th. Stays in June were booked about 36 days ahead, against 77 days for December.

How long is a typical Airbnb stay in New Zealand?

A typical Airbnb stay in New Zealand lasted 4.4 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 61 days ahead. By month, stays ran from 3.7 nights in September to 5.3 nights in July.

Where do Airbnb guests in New Zealand come from?

Of New Zealand Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, 55% came from abroad, AirROI estimates. The largest groups were Australia at 16% and the United States at 12%. Among the same guests, the top origin city was Auckland at 14%, ahead of Wellington at 6.8%.

What is the most booked town in New Zealand on Airbnb?

Queenstown was the most booked town in New Zealand on Airbnb, with an estimated 106,122 stays in the 12 months to October 2026, ahead of Christchurch and Auckland.

Are Airbnb stays the same as tourists?

No. UN Tourism counts international tourist arrivals (3.2 million in 2024). An Airbnb stay is one booking on one platform, however many guests it holds. AirROI's 959,919 stays are estimates for the 12 months to October 2026.

Method

How These Numbers Are Made

Official figures come from their publishers, linked above, and were last checked in November 2026. Stays and nights are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, built from Airbnb listing data, and cover Airbnb only. Nights add up each town's stays times its typical stay, across 209 towns. Month ranks compare each month's part of Airbnb nights. Origin rests on 3,161,081 reviews and describes guests who left a review, not everyone who stayed. Read the method page.