In 2013, 229,000 travellers arrived at Auckland Airport from China - up 16.2 per cent from 2012.
That's good business for the airport company and the two airlines that run direct services to China: Air New Zealand with its daily flights to Shanghai and China Southern with a similar service to Guangzhou.
In one scenario, the number of Chinese travellers is projected to swell to 897,000 in 2025 - nearly quadrupling the 2013 figure. Those numbers would have been daunting when the industry was in a "hopelessly fragmented state with a lot of stubborn individualism" says Air NZ's chief executive, Christopher Luxon.
Luxon and Littlewood are working "very purposefully" along with government agencies to drive the China business.
"I have seen players and partners who are competitive in the marketplace here in NZ, up working together in China doing trade calls together which is really encouraging," says Luxon. "So the opportunity is there and real, and hasn't diminished over the last year or so."
Industry strategists such as Auckland Airport's Glenn Wedlock, say the Chinese tourists are attracted by New Zealand's natural environment, beauty and fresh climate. These are all valuable attributes, but ones that could do with some refining to "paint the picture of an amazing, culturally-rich destination that will improve the lives of Chinese visitors and their families and friends".
Wedlock says the industry is working on new marketing strategies, like a "taste of New Zealand" with campaigns (still under wraps) to educate travellers about NZ's diverse food and wine experiences and beautiful scenery as well as cultural offerings.
Air NZ is targeting Chinese premium visitors who stay for 7-10 days. "We are hearing of Chinese families and groups self-driving through the South Island - that's a very different place to where we were with the shopping cartel with visits for 2-3 days," says Luxon. Air NZ is also marketing New Zealand as a romance destination ("a really interesting marketing platform to play with") including through game shows.
But much more has to be done to meet the needs of the future market.
The tourism industry concedes it's not tailoring its products well (there still needs to be more signage in Mandarin).
And more of those servicing the industry should speak Chinese. Luxon says it should be taught more in our schools.
Chinese premium visitors also expect a better class of hotel than they currently get. Waterfront Auckland's John Dalzell reckons the new hotel Fu Wah will build on Team NZ's existing site at Auckland's Viaduct Basin is a step in the right direction. But that's just one hotel when many more will be needed if the rosy tourism number scenario bears fruit.
Visa simplification is another bugbear.
Luxon wants double entry visas so Chinese visitors can take a side trip to somewhere like the Cook Islands. He is also pushing for more outbound travel to China. "I think we have had 74,000 Kiwis go to China in the last year, and had 250,000 plus come here. It's a very compelling tourism proposition, there's great shopping in Shanghai and great history that NZ families would enjoy."
China Southern is understood to be exploring additional services. And China Eastern representatives spoke recently with the Prime Minister in China about a potential link to Christchurch starting with charter flights.
Chinese holiday periods are great money spinners for the industry.
For instance, 34,500 Chinese passengers arrived in New Zealand over Chinese New Year.
"With the average Chinese traveller spending $3,400 per visit, that means around $117 million was spent during Chinese New Year," says Wedlock.
