Source: New Zealand Government
A new travel option that enables eligible Chinese and Pacific visitors to cross the ditch to New Zealand visa free is bringing in a considerable boost in tourism and revenue, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston say.
“In December, we announced that 13,000 Chinese and Pacific travellers had already visited, with 24,000 total requests approved. After two months, that number has now almost tripled to 36,800 visits, along with 54,000 requests approved,” Ms Stanford says.
“With average visitor spend at $5,800 for Chinese visitors, according to the International Visitor Survey, that amounts to an estimated economic injection of $210 million for Kiwi businesses from those who have visited, with Chinese visitors making up around 36,200 of visits through the new pathway.
“We are committed to supporting Kiwis businesses to thrive, and these results, which boost our wider tourism sector. Tourism is our second largest export and it is fantastic to see results which boost our wider tourism sector.”
“Everybody wants the chance to visit and experience New Zealand, and through our change to allow more people to visit through visa-free travel from Australia, it appears to be a no-brainer.”
Ms Stanford says the change that was introduced was a deciding factor in people visiting New Zealand – 85 percent of Chinese travellers and 82 percent of Pacific travellers surveyed said they travelled here specifically because of the new NZeTA option.
Ms Upston says this is already bringing in a sizeable boost in revenue across the country, and in particular our key tourism regions.
“Visitor spending is going directly into local businesses. That includes shops, eateries, accommodation, and tour operators – and this is spending which may not have come into New Zealand prior to the change. This is all part of our Government’s plan to fix the basics and build the future.
“The South Island remains extremely popular, with 67 percent of Chinese and Pacific visitors arriving at an international airport in the South Island to start their travels.
“The travel changes we’ve made are reflective of this Government’s stance – we back Kiwi businesses and we back our regions. We are relentlessly focused on making smart, commonsense, and sometimes simple changes, which bring big value for New Zealanders.”
Notes to editor:
Since November, eligible Chinese and Pacific Island Forum passport holders travelling to New Zealand from Australia no longer need to obtain a Visitor Visa . Instead, they can apply for a New Zealand electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) as part of a 12-month trial.
Instead of spending $441 and waiting an average of 4 days, individuals from China travelling via Australia can pay as little as $117 and have their application for an NZeTA processed in 24 hours. Individuals from the Pacific can pay as low as $17 instead of spending $216 and waiting an average 6 days for a visitor visa.
