How a strategy change delivered a million Chinese visitors to Australia

THE number of Chinese visitors travelling down under more than doubled from 2010 to 2015. Tourism Australia’s boss reveals how they did it.

Chinese tourist Ji Huang and her boyfriend Zheng Guo both from Shanghai pictured here at the Kangaroo Point Cliffs in Brisbane 16/12/2015. Pictures: Jack Tran

TARGETING China’s rapidly emerging middle class rather than traditional group tours, has helped Australia attract more than a million Chinese visitors in a year.

The tourism milestone was revealed in the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ overseas arrivals data for the 12-months to November which showed a 22 per cent growth in short term visitors from China to 1,001,200.

New strategy ... A campaign to attract China’s emerging middle class is paying off for Australia. Pic: Dylan Robinson/News Corp Australia

The massive growth has made China the country’s most valuable tourist market, worth an incredible $7.7 billion a year, and the second largest source of visitors after New Zealand.

Tourism Australia Managing Director John O’Sullivan said the million visitor milestone was the result of an aggressive strategy to move away from traditional group tours and target China’s booming middle class.

“Our marketing, distribution and partnership strategies are all now geared towards targeting this new breed of young, independent travellers with the desire and the financial means to explore our country,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

“That’s where we’re focusing our resources and I’m delighted to say that is what is driving these impressive results.”

Savvy move ... Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service provides Chinese speaking Discovery Rangers. Pic: Peter Mathew

Federal Tourism Minister Richard Colbeck said China was “vitally important for Australia’s tourism industry growth”.

“Visitor arrivals from China grew three times faster than the overall increase in the past year, and spending increased 43 per cent – double the previous year’s growth rate,” said Minister Colbeck.

State-by-state, Victoria scored the biggest growth in overseas arrivals in November, with figures up 17 per cent on the same time last year.

Tasmania and New South Wales also achieved double digit growth in international visitors of 13.5 per cent and 10.9 per cent respectively.

Queensland’s share of the overseas visitor market improved 5.2 per cent, South Australia’s 8.2 per cent and Western Australia 4.1 per cent.

Mr O’Sullivan said those Australian tourism businesses which understood and were willing to adapt to the needs of Chinese visitors would derive the biggest benefits.

Target market. Guests of the Sydney Bridgeclimb Karaoke climb - for Chinese New Year. Pic: Supplied

Karaoke climb ... Bridgeclimb Sydney is adding a karaoke machine to the Harbour Bridge for Chinese New Year. Pic: Geoff Jones

Chief Operating Officer at Accor Hotels, Simon McGrath said they had worked hard to make Chinese visitors feel welcome and comfortable with touches such as language translations, cultural training for staff and even mini-bar additions like green tea and dry noodles.

“Every key destination around the world is seeking Chinese travellers,” said Mr McGrath, who revealed one in eight Chinese tourists now stayed at an Accor property.

“They want to know they’re welcome, they’re not being treated as a vast group of people but as individuals, and they want safety and security.”

Sydney Bridgeclimb spokeswoman Charli Beale said they began a Mandarin-speaking tour in 2013 and bookings had increased 50 per cent.

“We recognise the significance of the Chinese market, and we’re doing everything we can to make Bridgeclimb appealing,” said Ms Beale.

“For Chinese New Year from February 1 to 21 we’ll be doing a karaoke climb with a microphone and two screens on top of the bridge.”