Kiwi experience short on insight

Lin Shu Yan would have liked to have been able to try fish and chips. Picture / Martin Sykes

He came here wanting to experience Maori culture, eat local food and catch fish in the Pacific Ocean - but he didn't get the chance.

The memory Lin Shu Yan will be taking back to China after a four-day visit is how "Chinese" New Zealand is.

"We were given Chinese meals and brought to souvenir shops run by Chinese. Even the souvenirs on sale were made in China," he said. "I was told about fresh New Zealand seafood, even fish and chips, but never got a chance to even take a bite."

Lin, a 48-year-old real estate manager from Wuhan, said he felt short-changed and his four-day tour, which included two days in Auckland and a day each in Rotorua and Christchurch, failed to live up to his expectations.

"Maori culture is used to promote New Zealand in China but apart from a tourist concert, there was nothing else," he said. "If a visitor comes to China, he will get to experience many aspects of Chinese culture, not just a performance."

Another disappointment for Lin was that he never got a chance to talk with a local. "If I had a chance to speak to a Maori or any local New Zealander, I would like to ask him about his true experience living here," Lin said. "But from the tour guide, to the restaurants, shops and places we were brought to, the only people we met and had the chance to talk to were Chinese."

His trip here followed an eight-day visit to Australia, covering Melbourne and Brisbane. He considered New Zealand as a "stopover".

Lin felt that there was more to see and do in Australia than New Zealand.

"At least the shopping is better and you get more souvenirs that are made in Australia," he said. "Although the souvenirs were more expensive, I was prepared to pay for them because they were Australian-made. People at home would laugh if I gave them a souvenir that was made in China." He said he spent far less here than in Australia.

Another tourist in the group, businessman Ji Wen Wu, 45, also from Wuhan, said that apart from just sightseeing, many Chinese visitors would like to look at business opportunities.

"We like to see if there are opportunities to import or export anything, or if there is a chance to go into business partnership with a local," Ji said. "It was a very rushed trip, so we never got a chance to do anything like that."

It was the first visit here for Lin and Ji. Both said they would not consider a return trip. Next time, they will be spending more time in Australia.

* Wendy Cheng is a writer for iBall.