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New Zealand targets NZ$13.2 billion in food and drink tourism
New Zealand plans to give its gourmet scene a major cash injection to elevate its tourism value to NZ$13.2 billion by 2028.
New Zealand has masterminded an ambitious four-year plan to grow its international tourism from an NZ$8.2 billion industry in 2023 to a NZ$13.2 billion industry by 2028.
The beating heart of this development will be the nation’s food and drink scene as new research shows that 85% of visitors to New Zealand have food and drink tasting at the top of their priority list.
“Manuhiri [visitors or guests] visiting our eateries and bars inject much-needed cash into local communities across the country,” said René de Monchy, chief executive of Tourism New Zealand, who formerly worked as marketing director for Heineken and Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore.
“Our fresh kaimoana [seafood], world-class wine, craft beer and produce are second-to-none. Visitors can eat and drink their way around New Zealand with hundreds of cafes, restaurants, wineries and breweries to choose from.”
According to the research conducted by Tourism New Zealand, visiting tourists from the UK are the most interested in exploring New Zealand’s culinary offering, with 89% of Brits saying they would make a beeline for this before all else.
Meanwhile, 87% of German tourists and 83% of Americans would place trying the island nation’s food and drink at the top of their itinerary. Around 74% of potential Australian tourists recognise New Zealand as a premier destination for high-quality food and wine experiences.
Plans to double its exports
The nation’s renewed focus on tourism is part of its wider goal to “double its exports” over the next decade. It is hoped that by showcasing New Zealand’s first-rate gourmet scene to tourists, visitors will then return and seek out New Zealand food and drink products in their home markets.
“Tourism and international visitor spending will be crucial in reaching the government’s goal to double exports over the next decade,” confirmed de Monchy.
One of the country’s hero exports is of course its wine, with 421 million bottles shipped in 2023, according to New Zealand Winegrowers. The value of global export sales of New Zealand wine reached £1.1 billion that same year.
However, despite those enormous numbers, the country’s biggest exports are currently dairy products, with milk powder, butter and cheese generating a combined NZ$11.2 billion (approximately £5 billion).
According to New Zealand Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT), meat (largely lamb, beef and venison), fisheries, wine, forestry, and select horticulture products together account for around 95% of New Zealand’s total exports in 2024.
Tourism New Zealand aims to encourage more tourists to visit New Zealand during its “off-peak season” (between June and August), when its food and drink can take centre stage as the temperatures drop and crowds thin. Increased rainfall during these months are also likely to push visitors into restaurants and bars while they wait for showers to pass.
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