Tourism Sector Must Prepare for Chinese Boom

21 September 2011 - Which Way to Pay

Tourism Sector Must Prepare for Chinese Boom

Tourism New Zealand is urging the tourism industry throughout New Zealand to improve services in anticipation of a boom in visitors from Asia over the next few years. The rising middle class in China, along with fast economic growth, are expected to see Chinese tourists outstrip holiday spending from the US and the UK with a whopping $604 million expected to be spent on travelling in 2013. The number of visitors is predicted to overtake those from the US and the UK by 2014.

The vast population of China, currently estimated at 1.3 billion, are expected by Tourism New Zealand’s chief executive Kevin Bowler to start holidaying ‘a lot more, everywhere’. The campaign to bring in more revenue through tourism will focus around ‘getting longer-staying, higher-value visitors’ with advertising campaigns which target wealthy cities with a upwardly mobile middle class who are interested in travelling.

One area that requires particular attention, according to research done by Tourism New Zealand, is breakfast. Many hotels provide Japanese breakfasts but have not caught up with the shift in nationalities of tourists. There are already twice as many visitors from China than Japan. Current visitor numbers have been boosted as rugby fans flock to see the World Cup, money that was much needed by the tourist industry after the February earthquake put some potential visitors off.