NZ the great escape for US travellers post-Trump

New Zealand is increasingly being seen as an “escape” for United States travellers in the wake of the election of Donald Trump, a tourism boss says.

The number of visitors from the US is growing rapidly, up 23 per cent in the year to March to 312,000.

Bjoern Spreitzer, general manager of Americas and Europe for Tourism New Zealand, said changes had been dramatic in the US and this would fuel this market even more.

NZ was in a tourism sweet spot among 27.9 million Americans who were considering a trip here.

“New Zealand is seen as a really good place to escape — they always liked landscapes but there’s a friendliness element now that has really got dialled up because of the changes in the US,” he said at the Trenz tourism marketing event in Auckland.

Increased air service with the arrival of American Airlines and United Airlines on routes across the Pacific was enabling them to travel.

Air New Zealand’s direct services into Houston had stimulated the Texas market and helped create greater interest the US northeast.

Spreitzer said Americans had a “love affair” with New Zealand and many used all of their limited annual leave to head over. The US inbound market is forecast to grow by 6 per cent in the next six years to 440,000.

In its annual projection, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment says growth in visitor arrivals is expected to be strong for the next two years due to the new routes and upgraded capacity.

“The improving economy and stronger US dollar is expected to boost spending of US visitors who come to New Zealand,” MBIE says.

US households are in a much better position to spend and personal spending continues to climb. It was 5 per cent higher in January, year on year.

“Lower oil prices and a stronger US dollar was expected to boost spending of US visitors . . . to New Zealand.”

MBIE expects spending to rise 6.5 per cent to $1.7 billion by 2023.

Another speaker at Trenz, Emma Hudson, global marketing director of STA Travel Global UK, said young travellers from Europe could also be affected by more volatile politics.

It could make them more cautious about travelling away from home but could also encourage them to escape.

“It might be good [for New Zealand] but it will be less predictable and more volatile,” she said.

STA is the largest agent for youth travellers from Britain and Europe to New Zealand. Hudson said the spending power of the youth market — under 30-year-olds — was predicted to grow from $286b in 2014 to $400b over the next three years.