Kiwi tourism minister seeks Chinese tourists
New Zealand’s Minister of Tourism Damien O’Connor is this week leading a delegation of NZ government officials and travel industry representatives to Shanghai to take part in the China International Travel Mart 2006, which opens on Thursday and to explore the potential for Chinese visitors to NZ.
Mr O’ Connor says that more than 100,000 Chinese mainland residents have visited New Zealand over the past year, a record high, adding yesterday at Kiwi Link Asia 2006 in the city, “We expect to talk with Chinese travel agencies at the travel mart, to make it easier and cheaper for Chinese people to travel to our country”.
The three-day trade fair allows travel agencies and airlines from his country to meet their Asian counterparts, with Mr O’Connor saying that New Zealand’s natural beauty, especially the traditional Mouri culture, is unique and attractive to Chinese people as it is different from Chinese culture, adding “People can find a brand new experience there.”
Air New Zealand launched its first direct flights to the Chinese mainland on November 6, with non stop flights between Auckland and Shanghai.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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