While media reports have caused some Kiwi travellers to flock to their travel agent for reassurance, it’s not all doom and gloom for US travel.
Reports of detained passengers have scared some Kiwi travellers, say agents contacted, but no-one we spoke with was aware of any New Zealanders caught up at the US border; nor any clients cancelling booked US travel. In fact, some agents say the new Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app was actually helping to expedite entry into the US for those travelling on an ESTA. “We are not seeing any downturn in enquiry or reluctance to travel to the USA,” says Travel USA’s Andrew Gay, who does add that most of his customers are 50+ and ‘going regardless’ of politics or the exchange rate. That said, Gay notes his biggest concern over the last two months has been around exchange rates, not tariffs. “The good news is that whilst [the NZD-USD] has been going up and down in reaction to the markets […] it is almost back to where it was in Oct last year,” he adds. At the same time Gay says he’s encouraged by the New Zealand Government investing $13.5 million on tourism marketing in the US. The move, he says, will help drive US travel to New Zealand, and in turn boost the viability for carriers operating between New Zealand and the US.
. . . Sports
And while the most recent travel stats show a dip in Kiwi travel to the US for Mar, that was also on the back of a bumper Feb for US travel. The preliminary US National Travel and Tourism Office data shows that New Zealanders made 15,476 visits to the US in Feb, up 31% year-on-year. The spike is most-likely attributed to the Warriors playing in Las Vegas, but it also highlights how US sports and events turn aspirational travel into actual travel. And with New Zealand already qualified for the FIFA World Cup, on in the US in 2026, and the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, sports tourism is expected to continue to attract Kiwis to the US.
MFAT has not altered its travel advice for New Zealanders heading to the US, and while Kiwi travellers appear more resilient than some markets, globally the US’ tourism image is under fire. At the same time analyst OAG says Canadian forward bookings through to Sep are down 70% year-on-year, while US carriers have confirmed a softening of the US domestic market. See issue 5032 for more.
