Grant Bradley: China Southern capitalises on tourism

China Southern was the first airline to fly a Dreamliner into New Zealand. Photo / Greg Bowker

China Southern Airlines' growth has been spectacular since its entry into the New Zealand market in 2011.

The airline launched with just three flights a week between Auckland and its base in Guangzhou four years ago but from August will move to double daily flights year round.

This rapid expansion, using new planes, has won the airline the fastest growing business title in the BNZ New Zealand Chinese business awards.

Growth here mirrors the state-owned airline's rapid global expansion. China Southern is the third-biggest airline in the world and has expanded from carrying 10 million passengers in 1994 to 101 million last year.

On its New Zealand route China Southern is capitalising on the strong growth in the number of Chinese tourists coming here. They are increasingly wealthy, meaning more potential to fill the high-yielding business class cabin.

China Southern is now making a concerted effort to get more Kiwis on board flying the "Canton Route" from Auckland through Guangzhou and on to its growing number of European destinations. This year it's offering a new menu designed by celebrity chef Al Brown, boosting English language skills on flights and among airport staff. It is now offering some of the sharpest fares to Europe in the industry.

The airline has also benefited from a Chinese Government move to allow New Zealanders to stop over in Guangzhou for 48 hours without a visa.

When it announced the move to year-round double daily flights last month, the airline's general manager in New Zealand, Mike Ma, said it had great confidence in the Auckland-Guangzhou route due to the high level of tourism demand.

The airline was the first to fly scheduled services into New Zealand using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner which made its first flight here in 2013.