Sam Mackinnon: Hospitality New Zealand spokesperson on the international visitor spend increasing

Overseas visitors are back and here to spend, with tourism hotspots like Queenstown reaping the benefits.

The latest International Visitor Survey results show a 5% increase in international tourists over the past year.

Spending has increased by more than 4%, but still remains at 86% of pre-pandemic levels. 

Hospitality New Zealand spokesperson Sam Mackinnon told Andrew Dickens he's hoping the spending will soon become more regionally dispersed.

He says councils across the country are working on their destination management plans, so they can get a slice of the tourism pie.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now here's the good news to us. Are back and
they're here to spend. An international visitor survey shows there
was a five percent increase of visitors over the last
year and their spending was up by four percent, as
pumping more than twelve billion dollars into the local economy.
So I'm joined now by Sam McKinnon from Hospitality New Zealank.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Moody, Sam, Thankkury Andrew.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
You'd be a happy camper.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Yeah, I mean, obviously we're pleased to see a listen
and spend and arrivals. It's all about things trending in
the right direction for us. So yeah, positive to hear
that announcement yesterday.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
So is five percent enough or could we kick it out?

Speaker 2 (00:38):
Of course we'd love more. Hospitality is also very reliant
on the domestic market and we're seeing a list there
as well. But you know it's similar sort of number
of four percent Akland, five percent, well into the seven
percent in christ Church. But you know, we've come through
a really challenging period, so I guess seeing that there,
seeing that things are trending upwards is a real positive

(01:00):
science for us.

Speaker 1 (01:01):
Yes, yeah, as you say, overseas tourism returning but the
domestic spends returning but maybe not enough is our real
problem at the moment that kewis are reluctant to open
their wallets in the current economic environment.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah, that's definitely a contributing sector. I mean, hospitality is
definitely a discretionary spend and householder are struggling to cover
the cost that they've already got. So we're aware that
any spend that we're getting as a benefit at the moment.
But I guess as we've started to see some of
those increases and income for households around ocr cuts and

(01:38):
that sort of stuff, where I guess some of seeing
some of that confidence flow back into hospitality spend, which
is all positive science heading towards the summer trading period.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, and as you would say to all Keywis, get
out there and see your country and spend spend spend.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah, well, if you're able to get out and support hospitality.

Speaker 1 (01:58):
Now, is this tourism uptick a bit more geographically targeted
than in the past, like pre COVID, like more and
more people just go into Queenstown.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
I think Queensland has seen a decent left in that spend.
I mean, obviously it's our primary tourism hotspot in New Zealand. See,
you'd expect that to be to see a good chunk
of that left and spend. I mean, I guess overall,
you know there's across New Zealand councilors are trying to

(02:29):
work through their destination management plans. Everyone's trying to get
a slice of the tourism pires. So as we see
that those numbers left, overall, we should see a bit
more of that regional dispersal come through.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
Good stuff. Sam McKinnon, I thank you from Hospitality New Zealand.
For more from Earlily Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live
to news Talks. It'd be from five am weekdays

Speaker 2 (02:53):
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