Research shows New Zealanders taking longer domestic holidays

New Zealanders are spending more time on holiday in their own country, with new research showing they are enjoying their experiences.

The latest Domestic Visitor Satisfaction survey, carried out by Angus & Associates for Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), has found that three in four New Zealanders took an overnight domestic leisure trip in the year to March 2021.

New Zealanders are also staying away for longer periods, reflecting the fact that the country’s borders closed in March 2020. The number of trips lasting seven days or more increased by two points to 19% compared to the previous year, while the proportion of two-night short breaks dropped three points to 24%.

One respondent commented: “I forgot how much fun it is to visit our own country. We used to travel around New Zealand about 10 years ago and took short trips but then Australia and the Pacific Islands and other places looked more interesting. We only took day trips or overnight trips in New Zealand and now since the border closed our country has never looked better”.

COVID-19 restrictions changed people’s travel habits in other ways, with travel for events falling to 13%, down from 18%. Visiting family and friends remained stable at 36%.

The pandemic has changed where New Zealanders visit, with a decline in travel to Auckland and more trips to Canterbury, Queenstown and Palmerston North/Manawatu.

The research revealed that one in two New Zealanders had their expectations exceeded on their most recent domestic overnight leisure trip. Only 2% said their experience was worse than expected. The overall satisfaction rated at 8.7 out of 10, consistent with the year to March 2020.

Almost three in four would actively recommend New Zealand as a holiday destination to friends and family.

Commenting on the findings, TIA Chief Executive, Chris Roberts stated “even though our Australian manuhiri are starting to return, New Zealanders can still be assured of a warm welcome from tourism operators around the country. Even for the most well-travelled Kiwis, there are still plenty of new experiences for them to discover and enjoy in their own backyard.”

The TIA/Angus & Associates survey questions New Zealanders on their perceptions of regional travel. It complements other domestic market research carried out by Tourism New Zealand.

Click here to read the latest Domestic Visitor Satisfaction research.

Image credit AJ Hackett Bungy Queenstown.