New alliance targets Chinese to Auckland

A new alliance connecting Auckland with high-value Chinese business travellers has been formed between Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Auckland Airport, and China Southern Airlines. These organisations will work together to grow Auckland as a destination for Chinese business travellers, particularly for conferences and meetings, trade exhibitions, and business incentive travel.

Of the 210,000 Chinese visitors entering New Zealand since travel resumed between the two countries, 13,000 – or 6% – visited for business, conventions or conferences with the Chinese business travel segment recovered to 65% of pre-pandemic volumes.

Scott Tasker, chief customer officer at Auckland Airport, said the partnership aimed to build on Auckland Airport’s daily non-stop connectivity provided by China Southern Airlines to their main hub airport in the southern city of Guangzhou, to grow business travel visitation.

“We have seen a strong return of Chinese travellers since international travel fully resumed post-pandemic,” he said. “Chinese travellers are attracted here by the opportunity to experience an amazing tourism offering that combines unique culture and incredible scenery.”

Another significant factor he mentioned was the local expat Chinese community, with approximately 300,000 members – this community also serves to attract friends and family visitation.

Board and business

Hotel capacity in Auckland has grown by 23% since 2019 to about 17,000 rooms in 2024, including new 5-star hotels such as Horizon by SkyCity, Intercontinental and Auckland Airport’s Te Arikinui Pullman.

The New Zealand International Convention Centre opening next year – with capacity of up to 3,150 delegates for conferences – will be a game changer for conference and event organisers.

Ken Pereira, head of Auckland Convention Bureau – a division of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited – says the MOU marks the first time that the Auckland Convention Bureau has partnered with an international airline to boost Auckland’s profile as a business events destination in the Chinese market.

He added that Auckland’s strategic position as a hub of innovation, serving as the location of three universities as well as the base for many world-leading international and New Zealand-owned companies, would help in boosting visits from Chinese guests.

According to Guangji Qu, executive vice president of China Southern Air Holding Company Limited, China Southern Airlines was the first airline from mainland China to operate regular passenger flights to Auckland, having first launched the service from Guangzhou in 2011, transporting a total of 2.53 million passengers between China and New Zealand over the past 13 years.