Forecast Fine With a Top of 9.6

The Ministry of Tourism predicts that foreign tourist spending in NZ will increase by as much as 52% in the next 7 years. Spending is forecast to rise to NZ$9.6 billion by 2011 from NZ$6.3 billion in 2004, while foreign tourist arrivals are predicted to rise 38 percent to 3.2 million people by 2011, according to a recent report published by the Ministry. Tourism is currently the NZ economy’s biggest foreign exchange earner.