Chinese New Year has delivered a second wave of summer tourism to the West Coast.
Accommodation is booked out, rental cars have been snapped up and tour buses are rolling.
The Year of the Horse began on Monday. New Zealand is ranked among the most desirable long-haul destinations for Chinese travellers this holiday period, and the South Island is increasingly popular.
On the West Coast, operators say the uplift is already clear.
Development West Coast destination and tourism manager Andrew Aitken said historically Chinese New Year brought a 25% to 40% increase in Chinese visitor spending on the coast.
"We’re hoping for a similar lift this year.
"Like any other international visitors, Chinese travellers bring a much-needed boost in spending into the region.
"That’s across the tourism ecosystem, from accommodation and attractions through to cafes, supermarkets and local shops," Mr Aitken said.
Visitor spending on the coast grew 2.5% last year, outperforming the national growth rate of 1.2%, largely driven by a 9.1% increase in Hokitika.
Mr Aitken said Chinese visitors typically travelled outside New Zealand’s peak holiday period, helping smooth "seasonality".
"That’s why attracting visitors from China remains a key focus for the region."
Partnerships with Christchurch International Airport and Tourism New Zealand were helping lift the West Coast’s profile in China, and over the coming year operators would work to position the region as a "must-do" destination on the social media platform Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book).
Greymouth i-Site manager Kelly Ashworth described tourism at present as "fantastic — great to see".
She said there were "a lot of Chinese visitors in tourist buses" and promotions were running to capture the momentum.
"There’s no accommodation available in Grey, Hokitika or Punakaiki. It’s a fantastic sign."
Rental cars were booked out, key activities were hard to get into and the Tranz Alpine train was "pretty full".
"It’s great not just for the tourism industry but for supermarkets, cafes, boutiques, local businesses that we’re lucky to have. They’ve all benefited — it’s what keeps everyone employed."
Numbers were close to pre-Covid levels, she said.
"Not there yet but building and getting there."
In Hokitika, Stopforths Motel owner Sonya Barker said the lift was "definitely noticeable".
"A lot of guests are coming in this week — it’s great for our business and great for Hokitika." — Greymouth Star
By Scout Atkins
