The New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has forecast that the expanding Chinese middle class and the continued economic strength of Australia are set to fuel New Zealand's tourism industry.

International visitor numbers will grow by 28% by December 2018, while visitor expenditure will increase by 9%. Arrivals from traditional markets such as the UK and US are expected to decline, however this drop will be offset by strong growth from China and Australia.

Chinese visitors' expenditure has grown rapidly in the past two years and while the forecast for the next two years will be moderate, the medium to long-term outlook will be strong.

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