IVS Classifications and Definitions
Last updated:
April 2008
International Visitor Survey Data is recorded using particular terms and groupings (classifications). This section provides a list of those definitions and classifications to aid you in interpreting the data.
Definitions
This section provides definitions for the key words and concepts used in the International Visitor Survey.
International Visitor
Persons travelling to a country other than that in which they have their residence for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose of a visit is other than the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the country visited.
Tour Group
A tour group traveller is someone who booked their travel with a tour group and is not a fully independent traveller or a semi-independent traveller
Package Traveller
A package traveller is one who has paid for numerous items before travel and as part of a package. These items include international airfares and accommodation and domestic airfares or other transport and meals or sight seeing/activities/attractions. Package travellers are also not part of a tour group.
Fully Independent Traveller (FIT)
FITs are defined by where they make their purchases. To be classed as a FIT one must not have purchased their domestic airfares, accommodation, meals, other transport, some sightseeing/activities/attractions/other entertainment, event or conference, or educational fees before arriving in New Zealand.
Semi-Independent Travellers (SITs)
SITs like FITs are defined by where they make their travel purchases. To be classed as a SIT one must have paid for their international airfares before arriving in New Zealand as well as at least one of the following items:
- Domestic airfares
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Other transport
- Sightseeing/activities/attractions/other entertainment
- Events/conferences
- Educational fees
To qualify as a SIT one must also not be a tour group or packaged traveller.
Total Package Traveller
A total package traveller is defined as a traveller who has both the characteristics to qualify as a tour group and package traveller
Total Independent
A total independent traveller is defined as a traveller who has both the characteristics to qualify as a FIT and a SIT.
Note: All four travel styles are mutually exclusive
Total Expenditure
Total expenditure includes all money spent on each visitor personally during his or her visit to New Zealand. This includes any expenses that have been pre-paid prior to arriving in New Zealand which apply to the New Zealand portion of their trip (eg. accommodation, transport, activities/activities etc.).
It does not include:
- International airfares
- Pre-paid package expenses which apply to countries other than New Zealand which are visited on the same trip
- Any money spent by the visitor on other international visitors (ie. other members of the travelling party or children etc.).
Classifications
International Visitor Survey Classifications (44KB)
This document provides information on some of the groupings and classifications used in the International Visitor Survey, including:
- Geographical classifications
- Accommodation classifications
- Activities/attractions classifications
- Transport classifications
- Main reasons for travelling classifications
- Expenditure classifications
- Visitor characteristics/demographics classifications
- Special classifications
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