Tongariro National Park. Photo: Unsplash / Antoine Barres
International visitors to New Zealand's popular national parks and beaches is returning to pre-Covid levels, the Department of Conservation says.
DOC has released its report for the 2024/2024 peak summer season.
It shows international visitors were flocking to public conservation land.
DOC director of heritage and visitors Cat Wilson said the increase in tourists was welcomed.
"We are excited more international visitors are coming to see us again," Wilson said.
"The upwards trend shows we are on our way to pre-Covid international visitor numbers, which is great news for the New Zealand economy and tourism operators."
The report showed tourists arriving in the country in December 2023 was 79 percent of the 528,000 people who arrived in the country in December 2019 before Covid-19 hit.
Forty percent were from Australia, 13 percent from the United States, 7 percent from the United Kingdom and 5 percent from China.
DOC said the most popular spots were beaches and national parks in Fiordland, Aoraki / Mount Cook and Tongariro National Park.
Locals were visiting urban areas, like Auckland's Long Bay Beach and Rangitoto Island.
Short walks remained the most popular activity for local Kiwis, DOC said.
Warmer temperature contributed to this, Wilson said.
"Over the 2023/24 summer, around half of New Zealanders visited protected natural areas like our national parks, conservation areas, and marine reserves each month, and almost one-third visited a heritage site, such as historic reserves and places of national significance.
"It's great to see both nature and our rich cultural heritage continue to excite and draw people, and we hope Kiwis and visitors alike continue to explore New Zealand's incredible places."