New Zealand tourism industry information and resources

Organisations you should know about

There are several key players that make up the New Zealand tourism industry. Here are a few organisations you should know about that can provide support.

• TIA represents all sectors of New Zealand’s tourism industry and advocates for issues that impact the industry.
• Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) markets New Zealand to the world as a tourist destination.
• Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TECNZ) is the industry association for tourism export. It works to connect tourism businesses with inbound tour operators (IBOs).
• WellingtonNZ is the Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) for the Wellington Region. There are 31 RTOs in New Zealand, responsible for marketing their region and supporting their local tourism businesses.
• We work with Destination Wairarapa the RTO for the Wairarapa region.
• Your local council can provide specific context-relevant support for your area.
• Your local Chamber of Commerce may have a range of advisory services and support for new businesses.

Tourism New Zealand opportunities

TNZ supports the tourism industry in several ways.

• Promote your business and get referrals from their consumer website, newzealand.com. Listing is free and pre-pandemic more than 40 million people visited the site each year.
• Get a Qualmark accreditation. Qualmark is New Zealand’s official mark of quality, and once certified, you will have more opportunities to work with TNZ.
• Keep your newzealand.com listing up-to-date. They can give Qualmark operators the opportunity to be included in TNZ’s marketing campaigns.
• TNZ carries out market research across target visitor markets to better understand their thinking and behaviours.
• Share the Tiaki Promise, a commitment to care for New Zealand while travelling. It has guiding principles for visitors to follow to contribute to preserving and protecting our people and place.

Industry insights and data

Use these tools to get the data and insights you need to succeed:

• Domestic Growth Insight Tool (DGiT) — identifies domestic markets and travel motivations.
• Figure.NZ Tourism Hub — search for a range of data by sector and location.
• Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates (MRTE) — an estimate of regional monthly expenditure on tourism from both international and domestic consumers.
• International Visitor Survey (IVS) — a survey measuring the spend, characteristics, and behaviour of international visitors to New Zealand.
• Accommodation Data Programme (ADP) — information on short-term accommodation at national, regional, and lower levels, including guest nights, occupancy rates and more.

Starting a tourism business in New Zealand

When starting a tourism business in New Zealand, you need to know the relevant regulations and legislation you must comply with.

We suggest you speak with a professional to establish what may apply to your business, but here are a few that may be relevant.

• When you start a business, you become a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. Check WorkSafe to find out what this means for you.
• If your product has any aspect of adventure, check WorkSafe to see if your product is considered an adventure activity and whether you need to follow specific regulations.
• If you are operating a passenger service, check with New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to find out what licences you need.
• If you plan to take visitors to public conservation land or interact with wildlife, you may need a Department of Conservation (DOC) permit.