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New data released by Booking.com reveals the top travel destinations for Chinese travellers looking to celebrate the Chinese New Year here in New Zealand.
Queenstown came out on top as the most searched destination for Chinese travellers looking to holiday between January 27 – February 9.
Auckland came in second, and Lake Tekapo third.
Booking.com’s recent intergenerational travel study in Asia-Pacific highlighted a third of China travellers (32 per cent – the highest in the region) are more drawn to culturally immersive travel including the wealth of Māori experiences to discover in New Zealand.
This study also revealed that 21 per cent of Chinese families enjoy travelling for reunions or special occasions, seeing these moments as a chance to unite and celebrate milestones together.
Hotels remain the go-to for 43 per cent of Chinese families, with resorts following as the preferred option for 31 per cent.
A growing trend is emerging towards unique stays—around 32 per cent of families are drawn to culturally immersive stays such as ryokans, hanoks, homesteads, treehouses, and longhouses, adding a touch of local flavour and adventure to their trips.
The data also revealed a few travel predictions from the booking platform.
Booking.com’s travel data suggests that ‘noctourism’ and ‘multigen megatrips’ are likely to be popular in 2025.
Noctourism – ditching the daylight crowds for midnight magic – appeals to 75 per cent of Chinese travellers, who are considering visiting darker sky destinations. Night sky cottages with glass ceilings are dotted across New Zealand from Twizel and Waipara, to Kaikōura and Ohakune. The data suggests 65 per cent of Chinese travellers would book an accommodation without lights to encourage less light pollution and preserve flora and fauna.
And when it comes to ‘multigen megatrips’, 71 per cent of Chinese travellers would rather spend money on a trip of a lifetime in 2025 than leaving inheritance to their children.
Spending data is also on the rise, with 2024 seeing the highest number of visitors from China since the pandemic, indicating a promising outlook for 2025.
In February 2024, the number of visitors to New Zealand from China increased by 33,700 compared to the previous year, reaching 37,900. This was the highest number of monthly visitors from China since January 2020.
Last year, 219,000 Chinese travellers (9.5 per cent of all arrivals) visited New Zealand, with 143,000 (65 per cent) of them being holiday visitors.
Summer is still the most sought-after season, with the majority (43 per cent) of holiday visitors arrive in the hottest months, compared to 28 per cent in spring, 18 per cent in winter and 10 per cent in autumn. The average length of stay was 10 days.
When it comes to visitor spend, Chinese visitors spent $1.1 billion in New Zealand, with $872 million by holidaymakers. One-fifth of spending was on accommodation.
Top 10 Most Searched Destinations for China Travellers – January 27 – February 9
- Queenstown
- Auckland
- Lake Tekapo
- Christchurch
- Wānaka
- Te Anau
- Dunedin
- Twizel
- Rotorua
- Mount Cook Village
Booking.com China user search data to New Zealand for check-ins for January 27 2025 – February 9, 2025.
