The number of Kiwis returning from trips to Australia, Japan and China were up strongly in the year to Feb, but Kiwis eased back on travel to the US and Fiji.
Stats NZ says New Zealand resident traveller arrivals (the measure of short overseas trips) were 3.11 million in the Feb 2026 year, an increase of 108,000 from the previous 12 months.
Travel to Australia was up 77,000 to 1.3 million, Japan was up 14,000 to 93,000, China was up 14,000 to 168,000, the Philippines was up 10,000 to 62,000 and India was up 10,000 to 116,000.
The number of Kiwis returning from the US was down 16,000 to 150,000 and from Fiji, down 10,000 to 203,000.
. . . Feb Figures
Travel by Kiwis slipped in Feb with arrivals at 189,900, a decrease of 17,400 from the same month last year.
Most major markets, including Australia, were down for the month. Stats NZ says the Feb total was 99.6% of the 190,600 for the same month in Feb 2019 (before the pandemic).
