Chinese visitor numbers reached 409,000 last year and are forecast to hit the 1 million mark by 2022.
The welcome mat is out for more Chinese tourists with the announcement of extra flights from China and new visa rules to encourage repeat visits.
A package of tourism initiatives was announced on Monday as part of the official visit from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
The multiple entry visa for Chinese visitors has been extended from three to five years, and they will be able to pay for online visa applications using popular UnionPay debit and credit cards.

Changes to visa rules may increase the number of Chinese tourists making return visits here.
An enhanced air service agreement with China will also see the number of flights from China increase from 49 to 59 a week.
Five Chinese airlines currently operate to New Zealand and a sixth, Sichuan Airlines, will begin flying here in June.
The agreement means that Chinese airlines can now operate between airports in New Zealand during the course of their international service, so an international flight from China arriving into Auckland will be able to carry on to Wellington.
Tourism Export Council chief executive Lesley Immink said her organization applauded the extension of the multi entry visa from five to three years because it made repeat visits much easier.
“We supported the increase because other countries like the US and Australia were moving to five to 10 year multi entry visas, and it was making us as a destination too hard for some people”.
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) analysis suggests that about 17 per cent of Chinese holiday makers are repeat visitors.
Tourism Minister Paula Bennett said the just announced 2019 China-New Zealand Year of Tourism agreement had the potential to greatly increase the number of high-value Chinese visitors who stay longer, spend more and travel independently.
“Our focus now is on encouraging tourists to visit outside of the peak season and to explore our regions”.
Last year China was our second largest tourism market with a record 409,000 Chinese holidaymakers visiting and spending $1.7 billion.
MBIE has forecast that Chinese visitors could reach a million a year by 2022.
Tourism New Zealand’s acting chief executive Brighid Kelly said the Year of Tourism was an opportunity for closer cooperation between the two countries’ tourism agencies and departments.
It was often used to promote new tourism products and itineraries, and publicity around the Year of Tourism was likely to increase interest in New Zealand as a holiday destination among Chinese.
“We’re also seeing the number of New Zealanders travelling to China growing fast, having recently broken the 100,000 mark”, said Kelly.