Echo Entertainment Group, the company behind Brisbane’s Queen’s Wharf development, reckon it’s a safe bet the state will be top of the list for Chinese holiday-makers looking to explore Australia.

Matt Bekier, Echo’s CEO and managing director, says the development of the massive Queen’s Wharf integrated resort and casino will be an irresistible lure for Chinese tourists when it opens in 2022.

“The market research we have says that when the Asian tourists travel, there’s really three activities they prioritise. The first is to explore nature, the second is to eat and the third is to shop,’’ he said.

More...

10,000 JOBS: Queen’s Wharf sparks jobs boom for Brisbane

CONSTRUCTION: How Queen’s Wharf will transform Brisbane

ICONIC: Sky Deck to be Brisbane’s new sky-high icon

TRANSFORMING CITY: Move over South Bank, the north’s where it’s at

“So an integrated resort of the magnitude that we’ve designed will allow us to deliver two and three because we’re close to Brisbane’s Queen Street shopping mall that already exists, we will have some additional shopping facilities that will compliment that, and we’ll have a critical mass of food and beverage.’’

He says Brisbane is also “fantastically well placed” to deliver on the quest to explore nature with the southeast’s beaches and hinterlands.

The Destination Brisbane Consortium, which includes Echo and two Hong Kong business partners – Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and Far East Consortium – estimate Queen’s Wharf will bring an extra 1.39 million tourists to Queensland each year.

That will create a $1.69 billion boost to tourism and help add $4 billion to Gross State Product.

The consortium will leverage the tourism capabilities of CTF and FEC, both of which have international hospitality credentials and strong Asian links, to tap into a flow of customers from Asia.

Echo’s DBC partners control 10 per cent of the hotel capacity in Hong Kong and are in partnership with China Travel, which moves around 50 million customers a year.

Bekier says the timing for Queen’s Wharf is perfect as Asian tourists are getting wealthier and starting to explore beyond Asia.

“We know that as the Asians get wealthier not only do they have more money, but the way they spend their wallet, their discretionary, income ... changes,’’ he said.

“Twenty years ago they spent 15 per cent of their discretionary income on travel, leisure and entertainment and now it’s 25 per cent of a much bigger number.

“If you look at how the wealth is developing we’re at the beginning of a massive wave that’s coming our way.’’