Dunedin Chinese Garden attracted about 75,000 visits in its first nine months, after opening its doors in June 2008, with a formal opening in September.
But later attendance figures were somewhat lower, and only 37,279 visits were made in the 2012-13 financial year.
From July 2013, Toitu Otago Settlers Museum director Jennifer Evans also became the director of the nearby Dunedin City Council-owned garden.
Garden visitor numbers have since then generally risen: with increases in three of the four ensuing years, reaching 43,650 in 2015-16, and 51,164 in the financial year that ended last month.
Ms Evans said she was "thrilled" with the latest outcome and the recent trend of rising attendance.
"It’s really good to see so many people appreciating the garden and visiting it," she said.
Some overall improvements, including in garden activities, favourable word of mouth from previous visitors, and support from the city council marketing team had contributed to an "amazing" result this year.
Big efforts had been made to raise awareness of the city’s important Chinese history, and why the garden had been built in Dunedin, pointing out that the garden was the "living embodiment" of Dunedin’s sister city relationship with Shanghai.
This effort was paying off— "it’s made a big difference".
