New Zealanders are once again embracing international travel, reaching a significant milestone in the year leading up to March 2025. According to data from Stats NZ, Kiwis took three million short-term overseas trips, marking the first time this benchmark has been reached since the pandemic.
Australia remained the most popular destination, accounting for nearly half of these trips with 1.2 million Kiwis visiting across the Tasman. Other popular destinations included Fiji (212,000 trips) and China, including Hong Kong (173,000 trips).
The United States ranked fourth on the list, with 169,000 trips made by New Zealanders. However, the U.S. has been the subject of increasing scrutiny, with stories of arbitrary detentions and searches at the border, particularly following the stricter border controls introduced under President Donald Trump’s administration.
New Zealand government updated its travel advice for Kiwis heading to the U.S., highlighting concerns over these practices. While Australia has classified the U.S. under a baseline level of “exercise normal safety precautions,” New Zealand has placed the U.S. on a slightly higher advisory level of “exercise increased caution.”
