September 24, 2025, 5:38 am | Read time: 4 minutes
New Zealand is, for me, one of the most beautiful countries in the world. This is partly due to the incredible natural sites on the North and South Islands. The lush green hills, dramatic cliffs, sparkling lakes and bays, picturesque fjord landscapes, black and white beaches, impressive mountains, bubbling mud and water pools, and many other natural beauties and special features that this fascinating country has to offer. On the other hand, the beauty of New Zealand also lies in its special and truly, extraordinarily hospitable people.
What Are the People Like in New Zealand?
I spent several months in New Zealand, traveling alone, with friends, and with my family in a van. Not once did I feel unwelcome. Not a single sideways remark from a New Zealander, often called a Kiwi. Always, and I mean always, the people in New Zealand greeted me with friendliness and openness.
An Example of Hospitality in New Zealand
The best way I can illustrate the hospitality I experienced there is with this example: It was April 2018, and I was traveling in a van with a friend in Queenstown. We woke up early in the morning, shivering from the cold. It had snowed overnight, and we, completely unprepared for this kind of cold, wrapped ourselves in all the clothes and the two blankets we had and tried to warm up with tea and coffee.
Then suddenly, Pam appeared next to our car. A cheerfully beaming woman in her sixties, with a fluffy little dog named Moose on a leash. Pam quickly decided she wanted to save us from the cold. She invited us to her nearby house for coffee and a hot shower—and we gratefully accepted. That alone deeply impressed me. When we were sitting on her couch, freshly showered and warmed up, Pam offered us to stay with her. As long as we wanted. We stayed for several days and cried when we said goodbye. Pam and I stayed in touch long after.
Of course, Pam is an extraordinary example of hospitality in New Zealand. And certainly, not all Kiwis invite various van travelers into their homes (though I know some who would do just that at any time). But it is an example of a deeply friendly and hospitable culture. If I try to describe the people from New Zealand whom I met both locally and elsewhere, in general, I would say: reserved, extremely friendly, down-to-earth, uncomplicated, and often genuinely open to new acquaintances. This applies to all the people I met on the road, those with European roots as well as Māori. It also applies to a good friend from New Zealand, my mother-in-law, a New Zealand ex-boyfriend, and various other acquaintances—and every single one of them is exceedingly hospitable.
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The Culture of Hospitality in New Zealand
When asked why Kiwis are so hospitable, I looked around the country’s official tourism website and found a few explanations.
New Zealand is described there as a “melting pot nation with a mixed history of Māori, European, Pacific, and Asian roots,” and its people as “uncomplicated,” “relaxed, informal, and friendly.” About 69 percent of the 4.4 million Kiwis are of European descent. 14.5 percent are Māori, 9.2 percent Asian, and 6.9 percent Pacific Islanders.
The multifaceted immigrant culture is an important element in the question of the hospitality of New Zealanders. Not only did all the cultures living there today once come from elsewhere in the world to New Zealand, which the Māori call Aotearoa. They also had to unite different cultures, especially the European and Māori cultures.
An element deeply woven into today’s New Zealand culture is precisely those Māori traditions that also play a significant role in daily life. According to newzealand.com, these include “Māori values such as Manaakitanga (warm hospitality) (…).” Added to this is a relaxed, “positive ‘she’ll be right’ attitude” and various influences from several generations of immigrants. A certain pride in their country and a connection to nature also contribute to the friendliness and relaxed interaction with each other.
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Methodology for the TRAVELBOOK AWARD
We say it every year: All nominated regions, countries, and the like for the TRAVELBOOK Awards are already winners. Even if they didn’t make it to the overall victory. This also applies to New Zealand. Because: Every country had already made it to the shortlist in advance, meaning it was selected from a large number of contenders in a category.
The TRAVELBOOK editorial team asked the community on Facebook and Instagram for help and consulted experts from the travel industry to create the shortlist. TRAVELBOOK readers then cast nearly 150,000 votes and chose their trend travel destinations for 2026.