Chinese living in Australia will be targeted in a New Zealand tourism campaign funded by the New Zealand government and China's China Travel Service, New Zealand Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key announced on Thursday.

China Travel Service (NZ) Ltd was being given NZ$50,000 ($42,300) toward a yearlong campaign in partnership with New Zealand Maori Tourism with a budget of NZ$100,000 dollars to promote New Zealand as a holiday destination to the estimated 1.2 million Chinese in Australia.

"China Travel Service (NZ) Ltd will use their existing networks to market tourism experiences to Chinese Australians," Key said in a statement.