Wānaka is seeing a “definite uplift” in Chinese tourists this month for the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar: the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival.

Wānaka Business Chamber general manager Glenn Peat said the Chinese New Year traditionally brings a positive flow of international visitors.

Wānaka is already seeing an uplift, Glen said, which he expects to continue over February “especially among families travelling together who are often looking for the experiences that Wānaka has to offer”.

“It’s noticeably busier during this time… providing a welcome boost to local businesses.”

Destination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism chief executive Mat Woods said China remains “an incredibly important market for Queenstown Lakes”.

“[It is] currently our third largest international market, behind Australia and the United States,” he told the Wānaka App.

"It has already been a strong summer for Wānaka businesses, and this will give them another timely boost, especially as the celebration falls slightly later this year, helping spread the benefits into a quieter time.

Mat said while Chinese New Year is the high-profile travel period, there is also growth across the year, particularly during the ski season and again in spring around Golden Week. 

“That year-round demand strengthens business resilience and supports jobs,” he said.

“The recent visa setting changes, allowing Chinese visitors who hold valid Australian visas to travel more easily to New Zealand, are also already having a positive impact.”

The Chinese New Year is a 15-day celebration between late January and mid-February which begins with the new moon and lasts until the full moon. In Chinese communities it is a time to feast and to visit family members.

PHOTO: Wānaka App