New Zealand Triples the International Visitor Levy: What Group Travellers Need to Know
From 1 October 2024, New Zealand increased its International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) from NZ$35 to NZ$100. Here's how it impacts group travel planning and why it ultimately benefits the destinations you love.
The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) is collected at the point of visa or NZeTA application and funnels directly into conservation projects, Department of Conservation infrastructure and regional tourism initiatives. The new NZ$100 rate applies to nearly every visitor arriving from a visa-waiver country, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and most of Asia.
For group leaders the practical impact is small but it should be communicated early. We recommend bundling the NZeTA (NZ$23) and IVL (NZ$100) into your published per-person price and noting on travel documents that both are pre-paid. Clients arriving with an existing NZeTA issued before 1 October 2024 do not need to top up — the previous rate still applies for that authority's validity period (two years).
Where does the money go? Recent allocations have funded the rebuild of the Milford Track's Mackinnon Pass shelter, predator-control programmes on Stewart Island/Rakiura, and visitor infrastructure at Tongariro and Aoraki/Mount Cook. Operators we work with report visible improvements at high-traffic sites — better toilets, refreshed signage and more rangers in the field.
Our advice for 2025 itineraries: build the higher levy into your costings now, mention it positively to clients (it is a contribution, not a tax) and lean into the conservation story when briefing groups on the ground. New Zealand's appeal has always been its landscapes — the IVL is what keeps them in shape.