Chinese visitors boost NZ tourism

New Zealand's tourism sector is nearing a milestone recovery toward pre-pandemic levels, with the standout Chinese market set to further fuel major year-end growth.

Overseas visitor arrivals in New Zealand hit 248,700 in August, up 18,400 over the same month last year and standing at 99 percent of the August 2019 figure before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to New Zealand's official data agency.

The Chinese market led growth, with arrivals up 6,500 to about 11 percent of the total, nearing the 12 percent recorded in August 2019, the agency said.

New Zealand's Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said the country "loves welcoming tourists from China".

"We know they love many things about New Zealand — the breathtaking natural environment, active adventures, delicious food and wine, the chance to truly relax and unwind," Upston said.

China is an important market for New Zealand tourism and "it's very positive to see visitor arrivals continuing to grow", she said.

"Tourism strengthens people-to-people connections between our countries while supporting businesses and communities throughout New Zealand," she said.

A visa waiver trial rolled out last year for eligible Chinese visitors traveling from neighboring Australia is also making it faster and cheaper to go to New Zealand, with the arrangement set for evaluation after its initial 12-month period.

Tourism New Zealand, the government agency promoting the country as an international destination, highlighted the importance of the Chinese market, including visitor spending, which grew 26 percent to NZ $1.5 billion ($840 million) in the year to June.

"In the post-COVID era, Chinese travelers want to immerse themselves in a destination and its culture, and they will travel more widely and stay longer to do so," the agency's general manager international, Angela Blair, said in a statement.

There is significant air capacity from China to New Zealand for the coming summer peak travel season in the Southern Hemisphere, "showing there is demand for New Zealand and a wide range of travel options", she added.

Natural scenery

Chinese holidaymakers are drawn to New Zealand's natural scenery, with mountains, lakes, forests and walking experiences among the most popular activities, according to industry analysis, with stargazing, museums, farm visits, glaciers and cultural attractions also shaping the visitor experience.

Record airline capacity for the Chinese market is set to lift the travel sector for the summer, according to Auckland Airport.

Close to 6 million international seats are scheduled through the major airport in summer, up 5 percent year-on-year, with airlines adding capacity across the international network and "particularly strong growth in services between China and Auckland", the airport said in a statement.

Between November 2026 and March 2027, airlines will add 48,000 seats for the Chinese market, up 9 percent compared with last summer.

"China is one of the standout growth markets," said Scott Tasker, the airport's chief customer officer. "The scale of the increase across several airlines is a strong signal of confidence in demand between China and New Zealand."

He called China "an important visitor market", saying "this investment in connections is great news for our tourism industry".

"More capacity makes it easier for visitors to get here and supports tourism businesses not just in Auckland, but in destinations around the country," Tasker said.

Across the international network, the summer schedule is set to support close to NZ $5.7 billion in international visitor spending, benefiting city and regional economies around New Zealand, the airport said.