Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman
Associate Minister of Tourism
Minister of Immigration

19 August 2011

Minister welcomes daily China Southern flights

Associate Tourism Minister Jonathan Coleman today welcomed confirmation China Southern Airlines will commence daily flights on its Guangzhou – Auckland route from 1 November 2011.

“New Zealand’s tourism sector and economy will get a significant boost with China Southern’s move from thrice-weekly flights to daily flights,” Dr Coleman says.

“China is one of New Zealand’s fastest growing visitor markets with growth of 22 per cent for the year to July 2011. It’s now our fourth-largest inbound tourist market with 133,000 visitors in the past year and the potential for growth is massive.

“It’s expected that over the next five years Chinese outbound tourism will increase from 50 million to 100 million. By gaining just a small percentage of that growth, over the coming years New Zealand can increase arrival numbers and more air links will play a key role in expanding the market.”

Dr Coleman says Chinese visitors injected $410 million into New Zealand’s economy in the 12 months to June, and to aid growth, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is making it easier for Chinese travellers to visit New Zealand.

“INZ is now issuing multiple entry visas for Chinese citizens as standard practice. Previously such visas were the exception rather than the rule. This allows holders to enter New Zealand as many times as they like for a maximum stay of six months in total,” Dr Coleman says.

The visa application form itself has been reduced in length and is user-friendly with both Chinese and English language used. INZ is also establishing visa application centres in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong making the application process easier and quicker.

ENDS

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