RED (Xiaohongshu) is a Chinese social media and e-commerce platform that attracts over 300 million active users a month.

“Growing visitation from China will be integral to achieving our year-round and off-peak growth targets(opens in new window). The market is still in recovery so it’s important destination New Zealand remains top of mind for Chinese travelers,” says Angela Blair, Tourism New Zealand’s GM International.

In the latest International Visitor Survey (Sept 2024)(opens in new window), New Zealand’s breathtaking landscapes and scenery were the biggest motivator for nearly 80% of holiday visitors from China to travel here.

Tourism New Zealand’s latest consumer research(opens in new window) showed that as well as being drawn to landscapes, visitors from China want to relax and unwind and feel a sense of escape and joy in New Zealand.

The new activity positions New Zealand as a great place to relax, enjoy nature and capture life’s best moments, through content creators on RED, media engagement and paid advertising.

There are 62 million people in China considering a visit to New Zealand. New Zealand’s autumn and winter seasons present the biggest off-peak opportunity to convert arrivals from China, with 42% of potential visitors saying they would consider a visit in autumn and 32% in winter.

Visitors from China are also interested in exploring a broad range of regions within New Zealand. The IVS data showed that nearly a quarter (23%) of Chinese visitors explored four or more regions, with one-third of holiday visitors showing an even higher tendency to visit four or more places.

This activity builds on insights gathered during previous campaigns that showed there is about 120 days between visitors from China ‘dreaming’ about their next destination to arrival. Typically, Chinese travellers plan and book a trip to New Zealand around 50 days before they travel.