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Acting Tourism Minister Paula Bennett today announced $199,500 in funding for public restroom facilities at Springs Junction following the Kaikoura quakes.

“This popular rest stop is facing increased pressure from re-routed traffic,” Mrs Bennett says.

“Following the Kaikoura earthquakes, traffic on State Highway 65 south of Murchison and State Highway 7 between Reefton and Waipara has increased significantly.

Economic Minister Steven Joyce and Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett announced today that $158,000 is being committed to a visitor economy project as part of the Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Action Plan. The Plan has a key action to develop a collaborative regional tourism framework that supports growing the visitor economy to $2.5 billion by 2030.

Tourism spending in the regions was again strong in the year to October 2016, reflecting the Government’s commitment to support regional tourism growth.

According to the Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), tourism expenditure grew in all regions over the year to October 2016.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett today announced a $510,000 package to help strengthen Southland’s tourism industry and attract more visitors to the region.

Tourism is a focus of the Southland Regional Development Strategy Action Plan, which aims to diversify Southland’s economy, grow the population and strengthen local business.

A rise in guest nights in September shows the Government’s focus on building tourism’s shoulder season demand is paying off, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

New figures show national guest nights in September 2016 were up 6.4 per cent on the same time last year to 2.6 million, a record for September across domestic and international guests and all accommodation types.

Domestic guest nights were up 3 per cent on September 2015 to 1.6 million while international guest nights were up 12.4 per cent to 1 million.

Spending by tourists in regional New Zealand continued to rise in the year to September 2016 after another record number of visitor arrivals in New Zealand, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett today announced 14 tourism infrastructure projects around the country will receive $3.05 million in government co-funding support.

Through the new Regional Mid-sized Tourism Facilities Grant Fund, projects ranging from toilet facilities in Tekapo to innovative rubbish removal compactors in the Coromandel will be funded, Mrs Bennett says.

Figures released today show tourism contributed $14.5 billion to the New Zealand economy in the year to March 2016, says Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key.

“Exceptional growth in the sector has generated around 6,600 new tourism jobs in the year to March 2016, and the industry now accounts for 20.7 per cent of export earnings,” says Mr Key.

International visitor guest nights have risen by more than 13 per cent, and eleven of our twelve regions have accommodated more tourists in the latest monthly data released today, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

Figures released by Statistics New Zealand show foreign visitors have helped to grow national guest nights for the year ended August 2016 by 6.1 per cent.

“We’ve seen visitor arrivals hit a record 3.36 million, holiday arrivals increasing 13 per cent, and regional tourism spending climbing,” Mrs Bennett says.

More than a million people used the New Zealand Cycle Trail last year, generating around $37 million in economic benefits for local communities, according to a new report released today by Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key.

The evaluation the New Zealand Cycle Trail, includes an independent cost benefit analysis showing that for every dollar attributable to construction and maintenance of the trails, approximately $3.55 of benefits was generated.

Tourism spending in the regions continued to rise in the year to August 2016 on the back of record visitor numbers, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

According to the Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, tourism expenditure grew in most regions over the year to August 2016.

The fastest-growing region was Nelson, which increased 11.7 per cent over the year to $304 million, followed by Otago, up 9.6 per cent to $3.2 billion, and Auckland, up 6.9 per cent to $6.7 billion.

Figures released today by Statistics New Zealand shows tourist numbers are hitting new highs.

For the year ending August 2016 visitor arrivals hit a record 3.36 million, up 11 percent from the August 2015 year. The increase was mainly driven by increases in visitor arrivals from China and Australia.

It was also the most successful August on record, with 221,200 visitors last month, up 9 per cent from 2015 and mainly driven by a 13 per cent increase in holiday arrivals. Visitors from the United States, Australia, and Malaysia saw the biggest increases.

Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key today announced the opening of the fifth funding round of the Tourism Growth Partnership.

“Through the Tourism Growth Partnership, the Government is making $8 million a year available to boost innovation and productivity, and the lift the value of international tourism,” Mr Key says.

“Half of this funding will now be tagged for projects that grow tourism in the regions and create tourism-related jobs, through the new Regional Stream.

Winter 2016 continues to break records with visitors spending the most they ever have in every region for the month of July, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

The latest Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates released today shows domestic and international visitors spent over $1.7 billion last month, up $288 million from June 2016 and $69 million compared to July 2015.

New Zealand’s tourism sector continues to show impressive growth, with international visitors spending a record $10.3 billion in the June 2016 year, Associate Minister of Tourism Paula Bennett says.

The latest International Visitor Survey results from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) were released today and show visitor spending is up 18 per cent from last year.

The Government is continuing to ensure regional New Zealand benefits from tourism growth with more funding for infrastructure and to help businesses get up and running, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

Changes to the Tourism Growth Partnership (TGP) will see half of the $8 million annual fund made available exclusively for projects in the regions.

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key has today announced the Government has set aside $2 million to extend the Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail from Turoa to Ohakune.

The proposed new trail will be partially funded through the National Cycleway Fund, and is part of the Manawatū-Whanganui Economic Action Plan which aims to boost the region’s economy, increasing jobs, income and investment.

“The proposed new trail will be up to 20km long and link with the existing Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail - one of New Zealand’s Great Rides,” says Mr Key.

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key has acknowledged Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Kevin Bowler, who has today announced he is resigning after nearly seven years in the job.

“Kevin has done an outstanding job,” says Mr Key. “Kevin and his team have done a great job marketing New Zealand through different channels, which has seen the industry go from strength to strength and become our top export earner.

The latest monthly Regional Tourism Estimates show a strong start to the winter season with every region experiencing increased expenditure compared to last year, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

Otago led the way with $3.2 billion in spending by domestic and international visitors, an 11 per cent increase on June 2015. Nelson increased 10 per cent to $299 million, followed by Auckland with an eight per cent increase to $6.7 billion.

Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key today announced applications are open for further funding to maintain and enhance the quality of the New Zealand Cycle Trail.

This is the fifth round of funding through the Maintaining the Quality of Great Rides Fund.

“This funding is part of the Government’s $8 million investment over four years to ensure the Great Rides are maintained to their current world-class standards,” Mr Key says.

Regions are continuing to benefit from the tourism sector’s focus on attracting more visitors outside peak periods, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

The latest Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates released today show most regions showed growth in tourism expenditure over the year to May 2016.

The fastest growing region was Otago, which increased ten per cent over the year to $3.2 billion, followed by Nelson (up nine per cent to $295 million) and Auckland (up eight per cent to $6.7 billion).

A 17 per cent rise in the number of overseas tourists to New Zealand in May shows a Government and tourism sector push to attract shoulder season visitors is working, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

Statistics New Zealand figures show the number of people holidaying here from overseas in May this year was 87,552, up 17.3 per cent on May 2015.

“It is no secret that New Zealand’s tourism sector is doing spectacularly well. We want to ensure that this success is spread across the year and across our regions,” Mrs Bennett says.

New monthly data which estimates how much tourists are spending by region will help both industry and communities better plan for the future, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

The first Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates has been released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) in response to calls from tourism industry stakeholders who wanted more usable and accurate statistics for regional tourism spending. It replaces the Regional Tourism Indicators.

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key has today announced the Government is investing in a further three projects to help boost tourism in the regions.

“Tourism is vitally important to our economy, with over 160,000 people employed in the sector,” says Mr Key. “Under the Tourism Growth Partnership, the Government is investing $8 million per year to support innovative projects that will create new opportunities in tourism throughout New Zealand.”