Chinese families clash with police and slam Malaysia over lost plane

The company uses helicopters and a fleet of Mercedes vehicle for tours to Rotorua, the Bay of Islands, Waitomo and the Coromandel Peninsula.

Time Unlimited has an intern charged solely with researching the various niches of the Chinese market and Chinese social media websites such as Weibu, so it can adopt "Chinese-specific strategies".

"Our challenge is how we can best take advantage of this huge boost in individual Chinese arrivals, which happened as soon as they banned the discount shopping tours," Sperath said."We've quickly learned to offer Chinese catering, Mandarin guides when needed and to use hotel providers that cater to Chinese wishes.

"Auckland International Airport chief executive Adrian Littlewood said the industry needed to see China as a series of market niches that were each large enough to boost New Zealand revenues.
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"In a market of 1 billion, a niche can be several million people strong," Littlewood said.The airport has encouraged a marketing push into the Shanghai wedding market, and said similar niches could be exploited, such as the golfing or the gourmet food and wine markets.Auckland International Airport is the arrival point for the vast majority of Chinese tourists.

Littlewood said it was easier for the airport to grow Chinese passenger numbers sustainably with existing airlines, like Air New Zealand, China Southern and Cathay Pacific, than by luring new airlines, although "the airport is always looking for new partners to fly here".