Allan unveils $43m tourism blitz in bid to boost Chinese visitors
Victoria’s best restaurants, wildlife experiences and sporting events will be plastered across China in a $43m tourist blitz unveiled by the Allan government, in a bid to almost double the number of Chinese visitors to our state by 2029.
Victoria’s best restaurants, wildlife experiences and sporting events will be plastered across China in a major tourism blitz to bring thousands more visitors down under.
The Allan government will splash $43m on a global billboard, TV and social media campaign – kicking off in China – to promote events like the Australian Open and pump tourists into our cafes and bars.
Premier Jacinta Allan unveiled the new advertising drive at a star-studded event in Shanghai on Wednesday night, with Chinese influencers, including singer and actor Wu Chun, brought on as ambassadors to showcase the best of Victoria to local audiences.
More than 410,000 Chinese travellers touched down in Melbourne in the year to March – a figure Ms Allan hopes will almost double by 2029.
“We want China to be the number one destination of choice for Chinese people to visit and study,” she said.
The major promotional blitz, which is expected to be seen by up to 700,000 people daily across China, was revealed on day three of the Premier’s trade mission spanning five cities in five days.
On Wednesday, Ms Allan also unveiled a new deal with popular Chinese app DingDong to deliver Victorian-made yoghurt, ice cream, wine and Wagyu beef to front doors in China within just 30 minutes.
Dozens of Victorian products, including Sunkist oranges, Bulla ice cream, Chobani Greek yoghurt, Mayura Station wagyu and Yering Station pinot noir, will hold “prime real estate” on the home screen of the delivery app which services more than 800,000 orders everyday.
While the move has been welcomed by the Victorian Farmers Federation as a “boost to our multi-billion dollar local industry”, Ms Allan was unable to put a dollar figure on the benefit to Victorian farmers, growers and winemakers.
The Premier has shaped Victoria’s trade strategy with China – the first since Daniel Andrews’ launch in 2016 – around giving regional and rural Victorians an edge on Melburnians.
“We’re in Shanghai today bringing regional Victoria and regional Victorian produce to the world’s biggest market in China,” she said.
“It’s a big win for regional Victorians.”
The olive branch to the bush comes amid fury over the government’s Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund and the renewable energy rollout.
Fresh polling, however, shows Labor is regaining ground in rural Victoria and is holding its lead in regional cities.
The Redbridge polling, obtained exclusively for the Herald Sun, shows support for Labor in rural communities has significantly improved since July.
Two months ago, 59 per cent of rural voters said they’d be voting for the Coalition.
While the opposition still remains ahead, the government is closing in, with voter intentions now sitting at 52 to 48.
Labor is still well ahead in regional cities, 58 to 42.
This is despite Ms Allan being relentlessly heckled at the Herald Sun’s Bush Summit last month, with furious farmers and CFA volunteers yelling “shame on you”.
In Beijing on Monday, Ms Allan told business and industry leaders that her focus on regional Victoria sets her plan apart from Daniel Andrews 2016 strategy.
“My plan … elevates regional Victoria – spreading the benefits of trade across our state,” she said.
China is already Victoria’s largest trading partner and biggest consumer of food and fibre exports – worth more than $4.8bn in 2023-24.
Ex-premier Kennett hits out at Allan
On Tuesday, former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett took a swing at Ms Allan over her pledge to bring more Chinese students to Victoria and the decision for four backbench MPs to tag along on the taxpayer-funded trip.
“The Labor Party should pay for their costs or they themselves,” he wrote on social media.
“She said she will bring more Chinese students into Victoria.
“Sadly not her gift.
“It is a federal government responsibility.”
In Shanghai, Ms Allan said she wasn’t interested in the former premier’s criticism, saying it was a “good thing” that Labor MPs are investing their time building relationships in China and representing their local communities.
“I haven’t seen those comments,” she said.
“My focus is not on random social media posts from a former premier.”
