SA’s biggest ever group of Chinese visitors spend a staggering $4.5m

THE biggest single group of Chinese visitors ever to tour Adelaide has spent five days meeting locals from koalas to the Governor — and injecting a massive amount of money into SA’s economy.

The group of almost 750 Chinese employees from direct-selling company Joymain meet Governor Hieu Van Le at Government House.

• SA Tourism’s big push into the lucrative China market
• The Chinese megastar who’s spruiking our state
• Smartphone app to make us the nation’s ‘most China-friendly city’

THE largest single group of Chinese tourists to hit Adelaide has spent the past five days meeting locals from kangaroos to Governor Hieu Van Le — and spending lots of money.

The visit by the group of nearly 750 was worth about $4.5 million to the economy, plus invaluable word-of-mouth when they get home.

The group, which flew out on Monday, was from one of China’s largest direct-selling companies, Joymain, enjoying an incentive rewards-based trip.

Feeding pigeons in the city.

Preparing for an Adelaide Oval roof climb.

Meeting the local wildlife at Cleland.

The visitors explored Cleland Wildlife Park, Jacobs Creek winery, Hahndorf, Adelaide Town Hall, SA Museum, State Library, Art Gallery, Central Market, Rundle Mall and Adelaide Oval for a roof climb.

Adelaide Convention Bureau chief executive Damien Kitto said the bureau was actively courting Asian incentive reward groups, whose participants spend about $1000 a day compared to a leisure visitor’s $179 a day.

Late last year, Advertiser.com.au revealed Chinese megastar Huang Xiaoming had been named as a tourism ambassador for SA.

Up to 18,000 Chinese travel agents are using the footage to encourage customers to choose SA and follow the actor and singer’s itinerary, which included Kangaroo Island, Adelaide Oval and top vineyards.

Halfway through his year-long deal to promote SA, his video has already been viewed billions of times, and is understood to have been a major factor behind the recent tour.

“Further inquiries have been made by a number of travelling groups from mainland China for later this year with all referencing Huang Xiaoming,” Adelaide Oval tourism manager Laura Robinson said earlier this month.