Stats NZ data showed 12,849 Rotorua residents travelled to Australia in 2024. Fiji was the next most popular, with 2034 travellers, and the Cook Islands with 1968.
“Crystal-clear waters” and “sun-kissed” Pacific Island beaches enticed many Rotorua travellers in 2025, Harrison said.
She said the Cook Islands jumped a “whopping” 26% as word of mouth spread that the less-explored paradise was perfect for a “flop and drop” getaway.
Harrison said Asia was popular, especially Japan, Vietnam and Bali. Europe was also among trending destinations, up 9%.
There was a rise in small group tours, solo travel and luxury Australian train journeys on The Ghan and the Indian Pacific.
Clients were upgrading their flights to premium economy and business class seats, Harrison said.
Stats NZ data showed that in 2021, overseas trips by Rotorua residents dropped to 1743, the lowest since 2015, amid Covid-19 restrictions.
The 2019 peak of 32,169 remained the highest within the decade, but a continuous increase over the past four years had local international travel back to 29,943 in 2024.
Air New Zealand was expected to operate 1.7 million seats between NZ and Australia from October 2025 to next March. The organisation said it would have 34,000 additional seats on flights to North America.
Jetstar was launching its biggest-ever expansion of New Zealand and transtasman routes next year.
Auckland-Brisbane flights would move from up to 10 a week to twice daily, with 99,000 more seats a year. Auckland-Sydney flights would also be more frequent, from eight per week to 12.
Orbit World Travel’s Kate Rawnsley said despite ticket prices to Australia rising about 4%, it remained a key destination for Rotorua businesses, increasing “year-on-year”.
Client feedback revealed local businesses considered in-person meetings as ”essential to maintaining transtasman relationships".
Ticket price increases were mainly due to inflation and fuel costs, Rawnsley said.
The United States was the third most-booked international destination, with consistent demand from Rotorua-based organisations.
Local corporates were focused on maximising their travel budgets and efficiency, often flying out of Rotorua instead of Taupō when timings “better suited” their international flights, Rawnsley said.
Corporate travel between Rotorua and Christchurch also increased over the past year, reflecting stronger inter-island demand.
Rawnsley expected growth to continue into 2026, with the new Hamilton-to-Christchurch route offering local businesses a “cost-effective” way to reach the South Island.
Rotorua business travellers were choosing to stay overnight in Auckland or Wellington before early departures, “not willing to risk delays and keen to keep productivity on track”, Rawnsley said.
Harrison said her top tip for travellers was to book early.
She encouraged families to start booking 2026 school holidays and to think about booking cruises for 2027.
Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.
