Air New Zealand, the nation's flagship carrier, will begin daily nonstop flights from Shanghai in January 2013 to provide a seamless connection between China and the island nation.

It will add flights on Wednesday and Sunday at the start of the year to increase the number from five to seven each week.

Sandeep Bahl, regional general manger Asia of Air New Zealand, is confident of a surge in travel between the two countries in the years to come.