Tourism operators in New Zealand might face disappointment as Chinese visitor numbers are still below pre-COVID levels, despite the anticipated boost from the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations.
“Current arrival data for the year ending October 2024 shows that Chinese visitor numbers are at 60% of pre-pandemic levels,” said Angela Blair, international general manager of Tourism New Zealand.
“We would probably see an increase over the Lunar New Year, but that may not be an increase back to 2019 levels.”
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, China ranked as New Zealand’s second-largest tourism market, following Australia. In 2019, over 409,000 Chinese visitors contributed more than $1.7 billion to New Zealand’s economy. However, these numbers plummeted entirely as countries around the globe implemented border closures to contain the spread of the virus.
Chinese tourists have gradually increased in New Zealand since the country reopened its borders in July 2022.
According to Stats NZ, New Zealand welcomed 37,900 visitors from China in February 2024, marking an impressive increase of 33,700 compared to the same month in the previous year.
With China set to celebrate the Lunar New Year on January 29, 2025, tourism operators in New Zealand were anticipating a much-needed boost, as thousands of travellers were expected to go on international trips during the festive season.
Sean Marsh, the general manager of sales and marketing at Te Puia | New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, reported to RNZ that there has been a rise in bookings during the Lunar New Year holiday period.
Marsh noted that Chinese tourists are increasingly adopting new travel trends, opting for smaller groups of families and couples. Additionally, they are demonstrating a strong interest in cultural experiences during their travels.
Meanwhile, Richard Crouch, sales manager at Skyline Queenstown, anticipates a noticeable increase in visitor numbers from China in February.
“We anticipate visitor numbers this February to be on par with last year, possibly rising by 5-10%,” Crouch said.
“China is a very important market for us, no doubt,” he added.
In related news, the new Minister for Economic Growth, Nicola Willis, has identified increasing tourism numbers as a top priority for New Zealand’s economic strategy.
Willis has recently been appointed by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in a cabinet reshuffle, a position she will hold in addition to her current role as Finance Minister.