During 2008/09 visitors from China enjoyed reasonably high
levels of satisfaction with their holidays in New Zealand.
Satisfaction levels improved compared with 2007/08, but remained
relatively low compared with New Zealand's other key markets.
Introduction
Each year Tourism New Zealand commissions independent research
to gain a sense of how satisfied our international visitors are
with the holiday experience New Zealand provides.
Making sure that international visitors have an enjoyable
experience is the key to the future of the tourism industry.
Visitors that have the experience of a lifetime while on holiday in
New Zealand are more likely to recommend the destination to other
people or return for a second visit themselves.
Conducted annually, the Visitor Experience Monitor
provides a benchmark for the New Zealand tourism industry from
which to improve the experiences it offers visitors.
Overall experience
During 2008/09 visitors from China enjoyed reasonably high
levels of satisfaction with their holiday in New Zealand. These
satisfaction levels (8.6 out of 10), have improved since 2007/08,
when satisfaction was 8.2. Similarly 96 per cent of Chinese
visitors were likely to recommend New Zealand as a holiday
destination, up 2 per cent from 2007/08.
When Chinese visitors talked or wrote positively about New
Zealand to others, they were most likely to do so through speaking
to others in person (96 per cent), sending emails, instant messages
or letters to individuals (36 per cent) and sharing their opinions
in online discussions, blogs or on social networking websites (13
per cent).
Accommodation
Among the seven areas mentioned above, accommodation had one of
the lowest levels of satisfaction among visitors from China. The
overall satisfaction score for accommodation was 8.0 out of 10,
lower than all markets score of 8.4.
Within the area of accommodation, visitors were least satisfied
with the aspect of price (7.6 out of 10). The quality of facilities
and amenities received a satisfaction rating of 7.8 and quality of
service received a rating of 7.9.
Food and beverage
Food and beverage was the area with the lowest levels of
satisfaction for visitors from China. The overall satisfaction
score for food and beverage was 7.8 out of 10, lower than all
markets score of 8.1.
Within the area of food and beverage, visitors were most satisfied
with the quality of food and beverage (7.8 out of 10) and quality
of service (7.8 out of 10). However, satisfaction with price was
comparatively lower with a rating of 7.4 out of 10.
Transport
Visitors from China were reasonably satisfied with transport in
New Zealand. Overall this area received a satisfaction rating of
8.3 out of 10, close to all markets score of 8.4.
Satisfaction with price (rated 7.7 out of 10) was lower than other
aspects of transport, including comfort, safety and reliability
(8.4 out of 10) and quality of service (8.3 out of 10). Visitors
from China were heavy users of coach tours. Satisfaction with coach
tours was higher than other forms of transport among Chinese
visitors.
Activities
The overall satisfaction score for activities was 8.6, which is
relatively high but lower than all markets score of 8.9.
Visitors from China had consistently lower satisfaction across all
aspects of activities in New Zealand, compared with other
markets. Similar satisfaction levels were seen for quality of
the actual activity (8.1 out of 10) and quality of service (8.0 out
of 10). Satisfaction with price of activities was lower at 7.5 out
of 10.
These consistently lower levels of satisfaction suggest that
improvement is needed in all aspects of activities in order to
increase the satisfaction of Chinese visitors. Setting realistic
expectations of what the activity entails, the levels of service
visitors will receive and the price, will all help to improve
overall satisfaction levels.
The New Zealand environment
Among all seven areas of a New Zealand holiday experience, Chinese
visitors were most satisfied with New Zealand's environment. The
overall satisfaction score for New Zealand's environment was 8.9,
which is similar to satisfaction scores for visitors from all
markets (8.9).
Visitors from China were highly satisfied with two components of
the New Zealand environment: natural landscapes and scenery (rated
9.5 out of 10) and the environment being clean and unpolluted (9.4
out of 10). Satisfaction with our 'vibrant urban atmosphere' was
rated 7.6 out of 10, the lowest rating for aspects of New
Zealand's environment.
While overall satisfaction with the weather was low across all
markets (with an overall rating 7.7 out of 10), visitors from China
enjoy very high levels of satisfaction with the weather (8.9 out of
10). This indicates that setting expectations before visitors
arrived in New Zealand was very important in ensuring the
experience met expectations.
Safety
Chinese visitors' satisfaction with safety was rated highly at
8.6, similar to all markets score of 8.7 out of 10.
Chinese visitors have relatively high levels of satisfaction with
safety, with all aspects of safety rated at between 8.5 and 8.6 out
of 10. Chinese levels of satisfaction with road safety (8.5) were
the highest seen across any market. This was due to the high usage
of coach tours, which meant driving in New Zealand was a less
interactive experience for Chinese visitors.
Holiday planning
The majority of Chinese visitors (62 per cent) decided to visit
New Zealand before deciding what they would do once they got here.
Conversely, over one-third of Chinese visitors (38 per cent)
decided the type of holiday they wanted, and then chose New
Zealand.
Natural scenery (35 per cent) and New Zealand's clean and green,
environmentally friendly image (22 per cent) were the two most
important factors that influenced Chinese travellers' decisions to
visit New Zealand.
More than one third of China visitors (35 per cent) booked their
trip to New Zealand just two to four weeks before arrival, 22 per
cent booked one to two months before and 21 per cent booked two to
three months before. Most visitors from China booked their trip
less than three months in advance.