Published on : Tuesday, March 12, 2019
China is Australia’s biggest source of tourists and international students but there were fears last year these two important export industries could be damaged amid tension in diplomatic relations. The Chinese tourists are worth $11.5 billion a year to the economy. A major tourism advertising campaign on billboards and metro stations in Chinese cities begins this week with colourful imagery of Australia’s natural scenery – plus a crocodile – and the slogan “Too Australian for words”.
Tourism Australia will pay $3.28 million, and tourism operators including Qantas will pay $1.78 million, for the advertising. Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said that the country has already got a strong affinity among the Chinese tourists.
They must continue to find the new ways to appeal to the Chinese market. He said the fastest growing group of Chinese tourists was the “free and independent travellers” who are younger, more adventurous and stay three times longer than Chinese tourists on a group or package tour.
Whereas the Chinese students tend to spend most of their time in the major Australian cities (88 per cent) and half of their spending goes towards education fees, the “free and independent travellers” or “FITS” are more likely to travel to regional Australia as well.
Australia was targeting this group to encourage them to make repeated visits to Australia, outside of peak Chinese holiday periods such as Chinese New Year.
But according to the latest report from Tourism Research Australia has highlighted some of the problems in getting this sector of Chinese tourists to regional Australia. Time (71 per cent) was the major constraint, followed by cost (32 per cent). This group of Chinese travellers to Australia grew 18.8 per cent last year, as the overall number of Chinese visitors grew 5.5 per cent to reach a record 1.42 million. Ten airlines fly between Australia and China, with a potential 2.2 million inbound seats.
Mr Birmingham said Australia had been successful in attracting tour groups from China over the past decade but a new type of traveller was emerging as incomes rose. It is also said according to the report, the long distances in regional Australia and lack of transport options are the important problems.
Tags: Australia, china, chinese market, Chinese Millennials