Vivian Wu with products being promoted as Kiwi souvenirs to Chinese tourists. Photo / Doug Sherring
Vivian Wu with products being promoted as Kiwi souvenirs to Chinese tourists. Photo / Doug Sherring
NZ-made personal lubricants, face masks and toothpaste could be the new souvenirs of choice for Chinese tourists as they look for something more than a tacky key chain, fridge magnet or postcard.
Simon Cheung, NZ China Travel and Tourism Association chairman, says his group has been looking for NZ's "next generation souvenirs" to market to Chinese travellers.
It comes as Chinese New Year celebrations are due to kick off, with thousands of tourists expected to descend on our shores, and as a Government initiative launched to attract more Chinese tourists gets underway.
Cheung will be working with in-bound tourism operators to get Chinese travellers buying the products.
Although the details are yet to be finalised, one idea is to promote the products to tour groups onboard buses, and distribute the tourists' packages at the end of their trips.
One of the products he thinks will be a big seller is Luvloob, a natural oil-based personal lubricant that comes in a range of flavours including kiwifruit and honey.
Luvloob was started by Chinese Kiwis Kylie Liu and partner Jenny Chan late last year.
"It is a really cool idea and I hope it will take off."
Other New Zealand-made products Cheung is keen to include are facial masks with goat's milk, toothpaste and butter cookies.
Simon Cheung, chair of the NZ Chinese Travel and Tourism Association, is attracting high value rich Chinese tourists for NZ China Year of Tourism 2019.
The NZ-China Year of Tourism will be launched next month. The initiative, announced in 2017, is an opportunity to strengthen relationships, build wider business and trade connections and enhance New Zealand's reputation in China, according to Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis.
Government figures show about 450,000 people from China visited last year, a number which is expected to hit more than 800,000 by 2024.
China is also predicted to overtake Australia as New Zealand's biggest visitor market by spend, hitting $3.1 billion annually.
Two shops that sell souvenirs on Queen St in central Auckland told the Herald on Sunday this week that items such as postcards and key chains have declined between 30 and 50 per cent in the past 10 years.
Cheung said a new range of souvenirs was necessary.
"They want are good-quality souvenirs that are not only for themselves but also as gifts that represent New Zealand for their friends."
Cheung said Chinese attitudes towards sex had changed and young Chinese people are now increasingly open about the topic, which is why he believes a locally made lubricant may also be a hit.
Kylie Liu with partner Jenny Chan are co-founders of a business called Luvloob which they set up to help other Asian gay and lesbians come out. Photo / Dean Purcell
"They do travel the world and buy funny, creative condoms, so the younger generation will buy a kiwi- or honey-flavoured lubricant, even if it's just for fun," he said.
Cheung said many Chinese also identified New Zealand with its clean, green image and would pay a premium to take a little bit of that home.
"It used to be just honey, chocolate and other dairy products, but I think there now so many new items on the market," he said.
"Premium cookies made with NZ butter or milk, for the ladies a facial mask made with NZ goats' milk, manuka honey toothpaste ... it's all just about packaging and selling them on as the next generation of souvenirs."
Vivian Wu, Cheung's wife, is helping to source for products that would make good souvenirs for Chinese visitors.
"Travelling and shopping are two of my favourite hobbies, and I too wouldn't buy key chains or fridge magnets on holiday," Wu said.
"Good quality locally produced items are what I would buy on my travels, so I think I know what the Chinese travellers who come to New Zealand will want to take home."
Director of AUT University's New Zealand Tourism Research Institute Simon Milnes said travellers around the world are seeking to buy more meaningful symbols or reminders of where they have been.
"While there will always be a demand for key chains etc, there is a greater emphasis, especially among higher-value markets or visitors, for higher quality and more meaningful items - ones that are unique and present a 'sense of place'," Milnes said.
He said the story behind the product was important, whether it is locally sourced, produced or meets certain standards.
"If something is connected to local produce or producers, builds on our '100% Pure' branding and really presents a story to the visitor ... then I think these types of products should do well," Milnes said.
The same, he said, applied to the all-natural oil-based personal lubricants which are made with New Zealand plant oils and butters.
Multi-marketing director Pauline Gao, a specialist in diverse markets, said packaging and positioning were important factors for businesses to consider if they wanted to target Chinese visitors.
"Choice of colour and how a product is packaged must be carefully considered, and also getting the right marketing channels to reach the targeted market," Gao said.
