China Group Tours Code of Conduct

Part of the Approved Destination Status Programme (ADS)

Tourism New Zealand administers the China Monitoring Unit, which helps ensure that trips to New Zealand made by Chinese nationals are a success.

The Monitoring Unit assesses compliance of Inbound Tour Operators (ITOs) to the Approved Destination Status (ADS) Code of Conduct.

The Code of Conduct requires operators to provide good quality tourism services and products, and was developed as part of the China Group Tour ADS system. The system is based on an agreement signed in 1999 between the governments of New Zealand and the People’s Republic of China to allow groups of Chinese nationals to travel as tourists to New Zealand.

Here are some key criteria that ADS approved ITOs follow when planning client’s itineraries:

• Hotel Accommodation must be Qualmark graded 3 star or better (from 1 December 2008)
• Self-contained accommodation must be Qualmark graded 4 star or better (from 1 December 2008)
• Coach transport must be safe, comfortable and air-conditioned. From 1 May 2008, all buses and coaches used for ADS tours must have a New Zealand Bus and Coach Association grading of 3 stars or higher.
• The tour guide must show knowledge of the destination and local culture, and speak both English and Chinese.
• Itineraries provided to Chinese visitors should be the same as the one submitted to Immigration New Zealand with the ADS visa application.
• The tour itinerary must include a minimum of two commercial tourism activities, not including coach sightseeing, and no more than 1.5 hours of organised shopping per day.

We maintain a register of ITOs who host Chinese nationals, along with their ADS Code of Conduct approval status.

To apply for ADS approval, visit our corporate site for the application form and further information.

Please contact us if you have approval enquiries, feedback, complaints about a tour you have been on, or would like further information:

The China Monitoring Unit
Freephone: 0508 897 652 (within New Zealand)
Telephone: +64 4 462 8052
Fax: +64 4 915 3817
chinamonitoring@tnz.govt.nz