The recent visit of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to India marked an important step in deepening bilateral ties between the two countries. With key developments across tourism, business, and education, this visit signals a renewed commitment to collaboration. The signing of multiple MoUs during the Prime Minister’s trip lays the foundation for a promising future of travel, trade, and cultural exchange between India and New Zealand.
Accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Rene de Monchy, Chief Executive Officer of Tourism New Zealand, and Greg Foran, Chief Executive Officer of Air New Zealand, Prime Minister Luxon attended key events in New Delhi and Mumbai. On March 19, 2025, at a tourism reception held at the Taj Palace in Mumbai, Tourism New Zealand showcased several initiatives aimed at improving accessibility and strengthening tourism ties with India. These efforts are set to streamline travel, foster strategic partnerships, and position New Zealand as a top destination for Indian travellers.
Strengthening Air Connectivity
At the event, Air India and Air New Zealand signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU outlining plans to establish direct flights between the two countries by 2028, subject to aircraft readiness and regulatory clearances. The agreement also proposes a codeshare arrangement across 16 routes covering India, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. Indian travellers from cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai would be able to connect to destinations like Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Queenstown via hubs in Singapore, Sydney, or Melbourne.
Additionally, Tourism New Zealand, Auckland Airport, and Air New Zealand signed a joint MoU committing investment to a seasonal marketing campaign aimed at boosting demand and driving off-peak visitation to New Zealand.
Strategic Partnerships with Indian Travel Agencies
Tourism New Zealand has also partnered with nine of India’s leading travel agencies to design experiences tailored for Indian tourists. These collaborations aim to offer customized packages aligned with Indian preferences. Participating agencies include EaseMyTrip.com, Flamingo Transworld, Kesari Tours, Kulin Kumar Holidays, MakeMyTrip.com, Pickyourtrail, SOTC Travel, Thomas Cook (India), and Veena World. A special winter campaign blending media outreach with promotional offers was also introduced to drive engagement.
Growing Tourism Market from India
New Zealand’s tourism sector remains a key driver of the economy, second only to agriculture in terms of export earnings. Indian travellers, who tend to take outbound trips during peak domestic holiday seasons, align well with New Zealand’s traditionally quieter travel periods. In 2023, over 72 per cent of Indian holidaymakers arrived in New Zealand during off-peak months, underscoring the potential to sustain and expand this trend. With an estimated 18.3 million potential travellers from Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru actively considering New Zealand as a travel destination, and 43 per cent ranking it as their top choice, the new initiatives are expected to fuel further growth in the arrivals of Indian tourists.
Tourism New Zealand’s Strategic Initiatives
During a media briefing, Rene de Monchy, Chief Executive Officer of Tourism New Zealand, highlighted India’s rapid growth as one of the key emerging markets for New Zealand, stressing the importance of enhancing connectivity and refining marketing strategies to maintain this momentum. “India ranks fifth among New Zealand’s top inbound markets, following Australia, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Indian arrivals grew 15 per cent year-on-year in 2024, and we expect a 20 per cent increase this year, driven by rising demand for leisure travel,” he stated. While acknowledging that overall visitor numbers remain below pre-COVID levels, he noted that travel from India has made a strong comeback, highlighting its considerable potential for future growth.
New Zealand and India are set to commemorate 100 years of sporting relations in 2026, with cricket taking centre stage in the celebrations. Rene stated that New Zealand plans to leverage this milestone to attract more Indian visitors, especially within the sports tourism segment. He also addressed visa-related concerns, stating, “New Zealand Immigration is focused on working to ensure faster visa processing.”
When asked about the MICE sector, Rene acknowledged its importance. He shared, “MICE travel is certainly an important area for us, particularly for people attending conferences. We have built new infrastructure in recent years, including a new convention centre set to open early next year. We see this as a great complementary way to experience New Zealand. Our Business Events Promotion team is actively pitching around the world, and we believe MICE tourism will continue to grow. It is a great way to enjoy the country and potentially return with their families. However, our primary focus remains on leisure travel.”
Rene further informed that Indian travellers typically spend around 17 days in New Zealand, exploring multiple destinations from Rotorua to other key locations across the country, demonstrating significant growth opportunities for tourism.
Rene further highlighted New Zealand’s strength in digital film production, an area of interest given the prominence of Bollywood in India. He expressed a keen interest in exploring new opportunities for collaboration that would benefit both countries, particularly within the film industry.
Air New Zealand’s Strategic Focus on India
In 2024, more than 83,000 people travelled from India to New Zealand, with around half visiting friends and family. This trend reflects the growing Indian diaspora, now accounting for 6 per cent of New Zealand’s population. Additionally, over 59,000 Indian students are currently pursuing education in New Zealand, further supporting visitor flows through VFR (visiting friends and relatives) and education-related travel.
Greg Foran, CEO, Air New Zealand, highlighted India’s growing tourism market and increasing travel demand. “India represents a key growth market for Air New Zealand, and we are excited about the opportunity to enhance connectivity for travellers between our two countries.”
Greg emphasised the potential of students, friends, and family visits, and cricket tourism to drive traffic. “The biggest opportunity lies in those who want to travel for leisure. With codeshare arrangements, we aim to deepen our service offerings and provide a seamless experience for customers travelling to New Zealand, with better connection times through Singapore. Our partnership with Air India and Singapore Airlines is key to this effort.”
Looking ahead, Greg shared, “As we secure regulatory approvals and aircraft become available, we are exploring the possibility of direct flights in two or three years between New Zealand and India, possibly starting with Delhi.”
