September 3 () –
New Zealand has announced it will triple its tourist levy, known as the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), to NZ$100 (€56) from 1 October, according to a statement.
The public consultation, conducted by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, revealed that 93% of respondents supported increasing the IVL, with the main justification being that an increase would be “reasonable” to help cover tourism expenses.
This tax was introduced in 2019 with the aim of covering the costs of environmental protection across the country, as “international tourism also puts additional pressure on regional infrastructure.”
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey said the new IVL remains “competitive” with countries such as Australia and the UK, while expressing confidence that New Zealand will continue to be considered an attractive tourist destination by many around the world.
“This tourist levy of NZ$100 would typically represent less than 3% of an international visitor’s total expenditure during their stay in New Zealand, meaning it is unlikely to have a significant impact on visitor numbers,” he argued.
International tourism plays a very important role in the Australian economy, with international visitors spending more than NZ$11 billion (€6.165 billion) between March 2023 and the same month in 2024.
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