Funding boost to lure more Chinese tour groups down under

The Liberal-National Government has today announced $11 million in funding to attract more Chinese tour group tourists to Australia.

 

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham said the Approved Destination Scheme (ADS) accounted for a quarter of all Chinese visitors to Australia each year and around $1 billion in expenditure. 

 

“The ADS has been a huge success story helping to lure and facilitate the travel of 2.5 million Chinese tourists on tours to Australia,” Minister Birmingham said.

 

“It’s a major reason why China is Australia’s fastest growing and highest spending inbound tourism market.

 

“Australia’s scheme is regarded as best practice with strict accreditation requirements and ongoing monitoring of tour operators helping to ensure Chinese travellers who visit Australia on a tour get the highest possible quality tourism experience.

 

“That’s why this funding boost for the ADS is critical to making sure the thousands of Chinese tour group tourists who come to Australia have a cracking time whilst getting a taste for our country’s world-class natural beauty, food and wine, iconic attractions and incredible wildlife.

 

“China still presents enormous opportunities for growth and the more tour groups we can attract to Australia under the ADS, the more tourism dollars injected into Australian businesses and our economy. 

 

“This funding pays for itself many times over in the jobs supported and communities enhanced through attracting additional Chinese visitors.

 

“Positive experiences as part of a tour group fuel stronger word of mouth endorsements via platforms like WeChat, which in turn helps to attract more tourists including more independent travellers.”

 

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said making it as easy as possible to facilitate travel between China and Australia was a critical factor to the ongoing success of the ADS. 

 

“Streamlined and quicker visa processing times are a major drawcard of the ADS and have been replicated in other parts of the visa system,” Minister Coleman said. 

 

“In addition to the ADS, our government continues to improve the competitiveness of our visa system for Chinese visitors with the trialling of 10-year multiple entry visitor visas and online visa lodgements. 

 

“Initiatives that make it easier for Chinese tourists to travel to Australia such as online visa lodgements and enabling lodgement applications in simplified Chinese will only further boost the attractiveness of Australia as a holiday destination.”

 

For more information on the ADS scheme go to: https://www.austrade.gov.au/Australian/Tourism/Working-with-China/ADS