Why a record number of Kiwis are visiting Asian countries
On Friday, Stats NZ announced a record 730,000 trips were made by New Zealand residents to Asia during the year ending
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NZ Herald
12 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Why a record number of Kiwis are visiting Asian countries
An increase in direct flights to Asia is drawing more Kiwis than ever before to visit the continent, according to new data from Stats NZ. On Friday, Stats NZ announced a record 730,000 trips were made by New Zealand residents to Asia during the year ending
NZ Herald
16 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Travel Alerts: Queenstown success, global treks and wellness escapes
Intrepid's premium walking tours Kiwis have long embraced the joy of walking holidays, from tramping through native bush to ticking off iconic Great Walks. Now, there's a new way to take that love of the trail overseas. Intrepid Travel has launched Premium Walking and Trekking tours that pair the world's most stunning hikes with the comfort and style many travellers seek after a day on foot. Across five continents, the 10 itineraries offer everything from Vietnam's lush rice terraces to Morocco's Atlas Mountains and Peru's legendary Inca Trail. Expect expert local guides, memorable cultural encounters, and handpicked accommodation. Trips run from three to nine days, with departures starting January 2026. Walk the world's most breathtaking trails in comfort. Photo / Supplied La Tomatina 2025 Every last week of August, the small Spanish town of Buñol transforms into the stage for La Tomatina, the world's most exuberant food fight. On August 27, 2025, up to 20,000 revellers will hurl overripe tomatoes at each other for exactly one hour, turning the streets into a vibrant sea of red pulp. The fun begins once trucks dump tonnes of rotten tomatoes on the crowd, simply letting the chaos begin. From then on, the crowd, who wear mostly white, start the big tomato fight, turning the streets red. For Kiwis who love active, playful and wildly social travel experiences, La Tomatina offers a joyous opportunity to dive headfirst (literally) into something unforgettable. Be part of a one-hour, messy celebration of spontaneity, community, and pure fun that will have you laughing long after you've rinsed off. Dive into the wildest tomato fight in Spain's streets with this year's La Tomatina 2025. Photo / Supplied Bhutan's new airport Bhutan has begun construction on Gelephu International Airport, a southern gateway that will anchor the Gelephu Mindfulness City and create easier access to the country's untouched wonders. For Kiwi travellers, the opening in December 2029 will mean smoother journeys into Bhutan's serene southern region and beyond, unlocking a side of the country rarely explored by international visitors. From Gelephu, travellers can journey north into the spiritual heartland of monasteries, dzongs and Himalayan valleys, or venture east to lesser-known rural villages and lush subtropical forests. The new airport also positions visitors close to the wildlife-rich Royal Manas National Park and the scenic rivers of Sarpang Dzongkhag. With a design inspired by Bhutan's four forest ecosystems and a strong focus on sustainability, Gelephu International Airport will offer Kiwis a mindful gateway to one of the world's most captivating and culturally rich destinations. Bhutan's new airport will open doors to untouched wonders. Photo / Supplied Gold Coast's CIEL spa The southern Gold Coast has welcomed a new benchmark in wellness with the opening of CIEL Spa at Mondrian Gold Coast. Set above Burleigh Heads, this science-backed sanctuary blends holistic bio-wellness with the rhythms of the local surf, sand and sun. CIEL Spa introduces therapies rarely found in Australia, from mitochondrial light therapy and infrared saunas to zero-gravity dry floats and Himalayan salt rooms. Guests can experience exclusive treatments from global skincare pioneer Augustinus Bader, alongside clean science brand Synergie Skin and gem-infused Knesko rituals. With its personalised approach, ocean-inspired design and access to the Haven pool club for day guests, CIEL Spa invites visitors to connect deeply with mind, body and spirit, making it a compelling new stop for wellness-focused Kiwis exploring the Gold Coast.
NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Kiwis moving to Australia: Incomes, house prices and interest rates compared
It means houses in major Aussie cities cost about 6.5 times the typical salary compared with eight times in New Zealand. Even Sydney comes out ahead of Auckland, with its houses at 8.5 times the price of typical city salaries compared to 9.2 times in the City of Sails. And there are other pain points for New Zealanders. The Herald estimates Kiwis pay around $839 or 42% more at the pump each year for every 14,000km driven. Yet it isn't all good news in Oz. Sydney resident and former Aucklander Keitah Tuleitu's family were hit hard by a curveball last year. Having lived in Australia for seven years, they earlier told the Herald they had been feeling comfortable and planning to buy a house in 2024. Instead, they spent much of the year raiding their savings. 'I would say 2024's been a struggle because my husband did lose work for a period of time,' Tuleitu said when the Herald checked back in this week. It's a reality check that backs warnings from property commentator Nick Goodall of analysts Cotality for Kiwis to look beyond headlines about salaries. Goodall cautions that the big salary advantages from industries like mining can create the impression that every job is better paid in Australia and advises people to look closely at opportunities and hidden costs when pursuing their chosen professions. The exodus has worried many New Zealand commentators. The Herald's business editor at large, Liam Dann, has been warning of a brain drain as New Zealand's young, trained and educated people move to Australia. While new migrants from other countries are replacing many of the Kiwis who go to Australia, experts believe this creates a churn in jobs as people come and go and the most experienced are lost. Winners and losers: City-by-city comparisons Looking deeper into Australia's affordability advantage, some cities stand out as potentially better opportunities for Kiwis than others. Mining hotspot Darwin emerges as the ultimate financial sweet spot, boasting the highest salaries at $173,000 (NZD) yet the cheapest house prices at just $588,000, according to Australian National University income data and Cotality house prices. At the other extreme, Dunedin residents earn barely half what their Darwin counterparts make – resulting in a staggering $93,000 income gap between the highest and lowest-paid cities. Tauranga delivers another shock. Its $690 weekly rents now exceed Melbourne's $670 – a regional New Zealand city outpricing one of Australia's largest metropolises. The city salary pecking order tells a harsh story for New Zealand. All five top-earning cities sit across the Ditch, while New Zealand's best, Wellington, manages only sixth place, according to ANU and Infometrics' NZ income data. Comparing public servant hotspots, Canberra's residents typically earn $154,000 compared with Wellington's $134,500 – a $20,000 gap between the two capital cities. Adelaide leads the property growth with 7.8% in annual house price gains, while Wellington has suffered the steepest decline at minus 6.2%. New Zealand's Christchurch and Dunedin offer the cheapest rents in either country at $550 weekly – but Infometrics income data shows residents earn just $90,000 and $80,500 respectively. Keitah Tuleitu with her extended family. She's made Sydney home despite tough times last year. Pros and cons of life over the Ditch Cotality's Goodall said Kiwis are being drawn not only by better wages but also by a more optimistic feeling in Australia about the economy. Australia has weathered the downturn better than New Zealand, where unemployment has risen faster as house prices have stayed flat, he said. Kiwis have repeatedly listed higher salaries and strong economic prospects as the top attractions when talking to the Herald. Maths teacher Liam McMahon told in 2023 how he scored an instant $31,000 pay rise just by moving to Melbourne from Hamilton. Architect Kyle Anaru started 'accumulating savings straight away' after moving to the Sunshine Coast in 2023, while beauty therapist Bridget Jane told last year how she and her fiance left Queenstown on the hunt for salaries that better matched house prices. But Goodall's 'not all rosy' warning has also shone through in Herald conversations. Anaru was among Kiwis saying how hard it could be to find rentals, while Jane had to live far from Melbourne's centre for affordable rent and talked about a more high-pressure working environment in Australia. Teacher McMahon was also among many missing 'family, friends and Hamilton day trips', while others miss New Zealand's culture. Tuleitu, meanwhile, highlighted how the highs and lows can come in both countries. In 2023, she told the Herald how higher Sydney salaries had meant her family were living 'comfortably' while still donating to their church. It was in contrast to the struggle her parents had gone through in New Zealand, she said at the time. However, their recent struggles had forced them to 'pick' at their savings and reset their goals. Nevertheless, with most of her family having joined her in Australia, she has become an Aussie citizen and says she isn't coming home any time soon.
