100 New Zealand businesses go online this week with e-commerce giant Alibaba.

The joint venture between Christchurch Airport and Chinese internet giant Alibaba has the potential to generate millions of dollars in sales to Chinese consumers.

Christchurch Airport CEO Malcolm Johns say there are more than $500 million people in the database in China, allowing us to target tourists.

He said it's great opportunity for kiwi businesses as visitors to New Zealand trust us.

"What the Alibaba platform gives those small businesses the opportunity to do is to trade off that trust when those visitors go back to China, and create a micro-exporting market."

Johns said he's getting lots of interest from local businesses wanting to tap into the Chinese market.

LISTEN ABOVE TO MALCOLM JOHNS TALK TO MIKE HOSKING