China is set to overtake Australia as New Zealand’s biggest spending source market within the next six years.
The ministry of business, innovation and employment predict spending by Chinese tourists will jump to NZ$2.32 billion ($1.7 billion) by 2021 from NZ$1.28 billion this year.
The average trip duration will be 27 days and each Chinese visitor will spend about NZ$238 each day by 2021, the government report says.
It said 265,000 Chinese tourists visited New Zealand last year and that would more than double by 2021 to 571,000.
"When the Australian dollar declines against the New Zealand currency, as it did in early 2015, Australians reduce spending," said Chris Roberts, CEO of Tourism Industry Association New Zealand.
"It certainly does have an impact. We have to work really hard to get our Australian visitors to open their wallets or extend their credit card limits when they are here."
