WELLINGTON, June 25 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's Auckland Airport on Thursday reported rising demand for its Southern Link air service connecting China and South America, driving capacity increases and boosting trade and tourism.

Tourists pose for photos at the Auckland International Airport in Auckland, New Zealand, May 2, 2023. (File photo: Xinhua)

China Eastern Airlines will double its Shanghai-Auckland-Buenos Aires service to four weekly flights from December 2026, following strong uptake since the route was launched last December, Radio New Zealand said.

More than 8,000 Chinese travelers transited through Auckland on the Buenos Aires route in its first five months. Growth in China routes is expected to continue, with seat capacity forecast to rise 8 percent year-on-year through October 2026.

Chinese visitor arrivals in New Zealand increased 20 percent year-on-year following visa changes in late 2025, with total spending reaching 1.5 billion NZ dollars (850 million U.S. dollars) for the year ending March 2026.

Meanwhile, Argentine travelers to New Zealand rose 35 percent between December 2025 and March 2026, while New Zealanders' travel to Argentina increased 22 percent, Radio New Zealand said.

The route had "quickly become an important link" between the three regions, airport chief customer officer Scott Tasker was quoted as saying.