Chinese visitor numbers increase as South Island tourism market rebounds

Indiana BellNZ Herald·21 Sep, 2026 10:02 PM6 mins to readMorning Headlines | Labour insists it won't change interest deductibility for landlords and India free trade deal said to surpass expectations | Tuesday, September 22, 2026Chinese tourists are returning to the South Island as increased flight capacity and changes to visa requirements help drive the recovery of the visitor market. China is New Zealand’s third-largest visitor market, according to Tourism New Zealand, with 238,000 arrivals recorded in the year to June 2026 – a 40%