10 April 2013
Auckland Airport welcomed the announcement that the New Zealand Government would be facilitating travel to New Zealand for high value Chinese tourists.
The announcement was made yesterday in Shangai by the Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism during an official visit to China and includes a number of initiatives to make it easier for Chinese tourists to visit New Zealand.
Auckland Airport’s General Manager Corporate Affairs Charles Spillane said, “The initiatives by Immigration New Zealand to double the length of the multi-entry visitor visa and to create a Chinese language website to really engage with Chinese travellers are very much the type of steps identified in the China Market Review which has been released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.”
“We support these improvements to the experience of Chinese visitors as first steps by NZ Inc to embrace the huge growth opportunity that Chinese travel represents for the country,” continues Mr Spillane. “China is New Zealand’s fastest growing tourist market and these changes will help to fuel that growth. It is important that we continue to work together as a sector to maximise the potential benefits this growth can bring to our tourism industry and the New Zealand economy.”
As part of its Ambition 2020 strategy to grow New Zealand’s share from high growth markets, Auckland Airport has implemented a number of initiatives aimed at increasing Chinese arrival numbers, including their Chinese Luxury New Zealand programmes which are now delivering impressive growth in high-value segments.
On Friday 19 April, Auckland Airport is also holding an industry summit for New Zealand’s tourism leaders which will focus on engagement with Asia. The Asia Summit will help the New Zealand industry gain valuable insight into how to develop for future Asian travel customers. For further details on the Auckland Airport Asia Summit 2013 please visit www.asiasummit.co.nz.
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For further information, please contact:
Kate Thompson
+64 21 385 446