Tourism New Zealand has launched a $5.1 million campaign targeting "high quality" visitors.

It will target wealthier visitors, as well as those who spend more time here and go outside hotspots and engage in local areas.

It comes as Tourism Minister Stuart Nash says he doesn't want to attract what he calls the "two-minute noodle-eating visitors".

Tourism New Zealand CEO Rene de Monchy told Mike Hosking they're increasingly researching into what the high quality visitors are looking for.

He says they've researched a lot for the last two years into people's motivations and interests, as well as their barriers to getting here.

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