NSW invites armies of rich Asian tourists to Mudgee and Dubbo

ARMIES of wealthy Chinese are heading to regional NSW after the state government launched a major new advertising blitz to get more cashed-up Asian holiday-makers into the bush.

NSW government advertising in Hong Kong which aims to get Asians tourists to Dubbo and Mudgee.

• Campervan craze: Chinese tourists hit the road
• What tourists say about Sydney: ‘Could do with a lick of paint’

ARMIES of wealthy Chinese are heading to regional NSW — swapping their smog for our grog — after the state government launched a major new advertising blitz to get more cashed-up Asian holiday-makers into the bush.

A whopping 1.2 million Chinese flocked to Australia last year, including more than 850,000 visitors to NSW, where they splurged $2.67 billion.

The Chinese tourism market is expected to be worth $13 billion to Australia by 2020. But many of those holiday-makers are reluctant to venture outside Sydney or other capital cities — something the NSW government is desperate to change.

Mudgee’s fresh air is a selling point to the Chinese. Picture: Tourism NSW

Wandering through the streets to Mudgee.

In a bid to ramp up the Asian invasion, the state government has launched an advertising campaign in Hong Kong specifically aimed at enticing tourists to Mudgee and Dubbo, with images from both towns splashed across buses and trams, and in magazines and newspapers.

If successful, the advertising blitz could be expanded to mainland China and beyond, with authorities hoping wealthy holiday-makers will spend their time guzzling the Central West’s wines, chowing down on its food, cuddling koalas and gulping in the fresh air.

Related news

Two larrikin entrepreneurs began selling bottled Australian air to pollution-ravaged Chinese last year and experts say regional NSW’s clean environment is a major drawcard for overseas tourists.

Stars of Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Picture: AAP

“This is the first time the NSW government, through Destination NSW, has partnered with a major Hong Kong travel agency to offer itineraries that deliver tourists directly to Mudgee and Dubbo,” Tourism Minister Adam Marshall said.

“The aim of this campaign is to encourage travellers to explore rural and regional areas of our state by extending their trip beyond the fringes of Sydney.

“The campaign is expected to initially deliver around 500 tourists to different towns across rural and regional NSW, who will inject almost $1 million into those local visitor economies.”

The planned Asian invasion into regional NSW comes as many country towns continue to do it tough, having battled through droughts and floods.

Three cheetah cubs born to mum at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Picture: Rick Stevens

Dubbo MP Troy Grant said Hong Kong tourists will relish regional NSW’s “beautiful landscapes, delicious produce and attractions”.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo is one of the attractions being offered through the advertising blitz.

Zoo director Matthew Fuller said: “The positive flow-on effects of this campaign will be felt with more ... tourist dollars ending up in the pockets of local businesspeople.”