Travel ban costs Canty millions

Canterbury’s tourism economy could be losing more than $1 million a day as Chinese visitors remain barred by coronavirus travel restrictions.

Chinese tourists spent $30m – about $1.07m each day – in the region’s restaurants, bars, shops and hotels in February 2019.

The travel ban, which restricts any non-New Zealanders from entering the country from China, came into effect on February 3 and was extended for a further eight days to last until at least March 3.

The Chinese tourist market has grown year-on-year for the past decade in Christchurch, even in the years immediately following the earthquakes when international visitor numbers were in decline. Loren Heaphy, ChristchurchNZ’s general manager of destination and attraction, said the sudden drop in Chinese visitors has had a huge impact on the region.

‘‘China is one of our top five travel markets,’’ she said.

‘‘The loss of China has been critical. We will be going to market as soon as possible to show Chinese tourists that they are welcome here.’’

Around 8000 Chinese tourists came to the city in 2010, but by last year that figure increased to

59,000. Visitors from China made up 10.7 per cent of all international visitor arrivals to Christchurch Airport in 2019 and the total amount spent by Chinese travellers in greater Christchurch in 2018 was $165m – a

$21m increase on the previous year. Heaphy said it was too early to know the full impact since the ban was imposed, as ‘‘tourism data is always retrospective’’.

Susan He, manager of Top Kiwi Souvenirs in Riccarton, said she understood the need for the travel restrictions, but the shop had lost tens of thousands of dollars in sales.

‘‘Before the ban, especially at this time of the year, the turnover for one day can be $10,000 – but right now, it’s just $1000. It is hard for us to afford the rent,’’ she said.

The shop opened 16 years ago and 50 per cent of it customers now come from China.

It was not uncommon for a single Chinese tourist to spend

$10,000 on gifts and souvenirs, He

said. ‘‘Chinese customers want to spend money for themselves, for their family members living in China. They focus on health and food products, especially manuka honey, and alpaca products, sheepskin. All the iconic products of New Zealand ... things that are very unique.

‘‘Health, of course, is very important, but the economy is also important. I really hope the ban will be stopped quite soon, we’re struggling right now.’’

Meanwhile, universities could use empty motel beds for Chinese student quarantine facilities if they can persuade the Government to relax travel bans.

Of the 12,000 Chinese students enrolled in New Zealand universities, about 6000 have been stranded in mainland China by border closures designed to prevent spread of the coronavirus.

Universities New Zealand is waiting to see if the Government will approve its plans for quarantining students, which could include using commercial accommodation left empty by the drop in Chinese tourists.

Universities’ international policy spokesman Grant Guildford said that if they got the go-ahead, they had to be prepared for the possibility that flatmates and homestays might be reluctant to host students during their 14-day quarantine period. Guilford said universities were looking at overflow accommodation ranging from setting aside parts of their halls of residence, to empty rest homes In the case of commercial accommodation, universities would have to meet the cost, and any hotels or motels used would not be able to take other guests.