Paul Anderson: NZSki CEO on the deal with Sunac-BonSki to attract Chinese skiers to New Zealand

A new partnership deal in the ski industry aims to tap into the booming Chinese market. 

NZSki and Sunac-BonSki have signed on, giving New Zealand direct access to 13.5 million active skiers in China. 

NZSki CEO Paul Anderson told Mike Hosking while the New Zealanders and Australians make up the bulk of skiers, they’ve seen an increasing number of Chinese visitors to ski areas – particularly Queenstown.  

He says they’re no longer the traditional bus tours of groups that came through from China, but high spending free independent travellers.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
More on the economy, got a new deal for our
ski industry into its ski and sunk Bonski have signed.
Who are sen Bonski? While they're Chinese? Thirteen and a
half million active skiers in China. Paul Anderson is the
New Zealand Ski CEO. He's with us, Paul Morning, Good morning.
Where's this come from? I mean, do you just go,
I know, let's go target some Chinese people or do

(00:20):
the Chinese people ring new? How does this work?

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Now? Look, we've seen an increasing number of Chinese visitors
on our ski here is currently peak remarkables, particularly in
Queenstown over the last couple of years since COVID, and
we've kind of gone into that market supported by tourists
of New Zealand and managed to get this deal in
place which gives us a good exposure to a really

(00:45):
fast growing market.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
I would argue, if you'd asked me previously, all skiers
on New Zealand slopes are either New Zealanders or Australians.
Is that broadly correct?

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah? Absolutely, they're about ninety percent of our skiers are
New Zealand or Australians. New Zealanders still make up the bulk,
but that Australian market's important for us because they're high yielding,
they spend a lot, and we've seen that with the
Chinese as it is that are arriving. They're no longer
the traditional bus tours of groups that came through from China.

(01:17):
They're what we call f T three independent travelers and
they're really high spending. Great for the retailers and restauranteurs
downtown as well.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
Are they off season so you target Americans, Japanese and
Chinese off season or it doesn't work that way.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, No, they are, they're they're obviously if you're in
Beijing during the summer, it's a very hot place to be,
so you know they welcome that opportunity to get to
a nice crisp winter down South New Zealand.

Speaker 1 (01:46):
Why don't we target Americans in Japanese?

Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yeah, they're coming as well. Look the Japanese, the Japanese
did drop off for a long time as their economy
wasn't so good, but we are seeing a few Japanese
coming back and that year connectivity into North America. We're
seen an increasing number of North Americans coming. We've also
got pass ski pass affiliations with Icon and Non collective

(02:11):
from too North America. So that's b an increasing number
of Americans as well.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Just real quick as the climate an increasing issue North
Island ski fields, it is down south? You still okay?
In other words, have I come from China? I know
I'm going to ski?

Speaker 2 (02:25):
Yeah? Absolutely. Look, we've made massive investments in snowmaking and Queenstown.
In fact, in this coming year we've just purchased what
they call a snow factory, which allows us to make
snow right from early May, so we can guarantee our
opening now at the end of May each year.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
Awesome world, I'm Paul, Good news like it Paul Anderson,
who's the New Zealand Ski CEO. For more from the
mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks that'd be
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