Trenz: Rotorua a big hit for Chinese tourists

Chinese travel editor Lulu Zhang at Trenz Photo/Ben Fraser

The message Rotorua is a "must see" city for Chinese tourists, and often exceeds expectations, is being shared online to millions of Chinese daily.

Travel editor Lulu Zhang works for Sina, a Chinese online media company, which gets more than 100 million page views daily.

She has been running a blog while at Trenz 2015 and said Rotorua as a great destination was not a new message for the Chinese audience.

"It's not new to us. As for activities in the North Island, it [Rotorua] is one of the 'must see' places.

"We know about the thermal activity and the Maori, those are the two main reasons, to taste the different culture, and that it is pure."

She said famous Chinese travel bloggers on the site had said Rotorua exceeded their expectations.

"One blogger said he did not expect that much in the town but he got more than what he expected. He said 'I can play, I can go to a bar, I can do more things than I expected. And it's not only the culture, there is something modern so it's a combination.' This is definitely positive."

Ms Zhang said she had enjoyed the performance at Te Puia, and was looking forward to exploring the city over the next few days.

"The Te Puia performance was beautiful, the singing and the dancing was awesome. They were so strong and powerful, and it is a different culture."

Shanghai-based China Travel Agent editor Jane Zhang said Rotorua was becoming more popular among Chinese tourists.

She said they enjoyed the laid-back nature of the city.

"They think it's very nice and not so commercial, it's not too busy - it's relaxed.

"In China there is a very famous television show set in Rotorua, called Dad, Where Are We Going? which had a big effect."

Rotorua's international visitor numbers for January showed 500 more visits from Chinese tourists in January than last year.

More than 1100 international and New Zealand delegates are in the city for Trenz 2015, which runs until tomorrow.

Sunday's opening at Te Puia drew praise, as did the first day of business yesterday.

"The manaakitanga (hospitality) you get from the moment you step into the venue is awesome, everyone seems to be relaxed and happy. The welcoming function at Te Puia was the best I have seen in the 15 years I've been coming to Trenz, and being able to walk to the venue is gold," said Cadbury World and events manager Kylie Ruwhiu-Karawana.

First-time local exhibitor Mereana Ngatai said she was enjoying Trenz so far.

"It has been an awesome morning. Just meeting with people and talking with them, there is a huge amount of community support."

The Tourism Industry Association said the annual showcase would inject $2 million into the local economy.