This report presents the results of a survey of 2001 New Zealanders aged 15 years and over on their perceptions of Asia and Asian peoples.

Key findings:

• Three-quarters of New Zealanders (73 percent) believe that it is important to develop political, economic and social ties with Asia
• More New Zealanders feel connected to Asia, the more they tend to rate Asia as important. In 2020, respondents were asked how connected they felt in their day-to-day lives with Asian cultures, places or people over the past five years, on a scale of one to ten. While the majority of New Zealanders felt connected, one quarter (26 percent) of New Zealanders said they felt a strong connection, while another quarter (26 percent) said they felt a weak connection.
• New Zealanders continue to feel that having direct tourism linkages with Asia will be beneficial to New Zealand over the next two decades. Seventy-nine percent of New Zealanders view tourism flows from Asia to New Zealand as having a positive impact on the country’s future.