File image. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Flights between Auckland and China will ramp up this week as tourism looks to recover after three years of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Air New Zealand will begin flying daily between Auckland and Shanghai from Wednesday, while its alliance partner Air China will return to New Zealand skies from tomorrow.
The Chinese carrier will fly four times a week between Auckland and Beijing.
Air New Zealand said the two services would deliver around 6500 seats per week between Auckland and China.
Its chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty said the resumption of direct from Beijing and daily Shanghai flights were "major milestones" for the broader tourism sector and Air New Zealand.
"China is a key market for us and the New Zealand tourism industry. The return of this route will help connect even more Chinese visitors with the amazing experiences New Zealand has to offer," she said.
Pre-pandemic, New Zealand welcomed 450,000 Chinese visitors in 2019, making China the country's second-largest international visitor market.
According to the latest data from Stats NZ, just 2 percent of overseas visitor arrivals in February 2023 were from China, compared with 12 percent for the same month in 2019.
Air New Zealand said the resumption of the Auckland-Beijing route was part of a strategic alliance between it and Air China.
"China is an incredibly important inbound visitor markets, and we expect interest in visiting New Zealand to continue to grow among Chinese travellers," Geraghty said.
"Our strategic alliance with Air China provides additional capacity and improved connectivity, helping us to meet demand and showcase New Zealand as a world-class tourism destination."
