18 November 2008

Study: NZ meets high expectations of international visitors

The Tourism Ministry released a report Friday showing visitors to New Zealand have high expectations of their holiday, reports the New Zealand Herald.

The Regional Visitor Monitor for the year to September showed that while the most important aspect of New Zealand for most international visitors was its pristine environment, 81 per cent of Americans expect to see friendly, welcoming people in New Zealand.  Fortunately, the survey also showed visitors were more than satisfied with the plethora of lakes, mountainsides, bush walks and outdoor/adventure activities.

Bruce Bassett, research manager, said it was obvious most international visitors expect stunning scenery and breathtaking vistas in New Zealand, yet it was a surprise to see the importance placed on a friendly welcome upon arrival. 

"It is very encouraging to see that satisfaction levels of finding 'friendly people' are extremely high," Bassett said. 

The study also showed the third most important characteristic of New Zealand is its recognised level of safety for travellers. 

In the year to September, 2,469,064 people visited New Zealand, down 0.3 percent on last year.

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The New Zealand Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their New Zealand visa application.

Article by Jessica Bird, New Zealand Visa Bureau.