Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his New Zealand counterpart, Jacinda Ardern, sent congratulatory messages respectively to the opening ceremony of 2019 China-New Zealand Year of Tourism, which was held Saturday in Wellington.

In his message, Li said tourism is an important area of China-New Zealand cooperation and a driving force for mutual understanding and friendly ties among people from both sides. 

Last year, there were around 600,000 visits between the two countries, Li said, adding that China remains New Zealand's second largest overseas tourist market.

The China-New Zealand Year of Tourism presents a new opportunity for the two countries to deepen tourism cooperation and enhance people-to-people communication, he said.

The two governments and their respective tourism authorities should enhance services to ensure better experiences for tourists from China and New Zealand, Li said.

More people-to-people contact between China and New Zealand will increase their mutual understanding, which is central to growing popular support for bilateral relations, the Chinese premier said. 

New Zealand Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis also read the welcoming message by the New Zealand prime minister for the opening ceremony.

Ardern said, "Tourism is a crucial strand in our bilateral relationship, and is a particularly important driver of economic growth. There was an 8.8 percent increase in Chinese holidaymakers to New Zealand from 2017 to 2018, and China is New Zealand's second-largest tourism market. The number of New Zealanders visiting China has also reached a new high.

"The recent Christchurch terrorist attacks brought into sharp relief the importance of building interactions and understanding across peoples, cultures and borders. Initiatives during the Year of Tourism reflect China and New Zealand's shared commitment to doing just that," Ardern said.