Chinese tourists bring more opportunities for Western Australia

China became the world’s largest source of tourists in 2013, and the source of world’s biggest spending tourists in 2012. Even the slowdown of China’s economy did not stop the development of tourism, with a massive 61.9 million Chinese traveling overseas in the first six months of this year, a 12.1% increase from the same period last year, reports The West Australian. This huge number of Chinese tourists also brings an enormous income for the travel destinations. Spending of Chinese tourists have already reached EUR 216 billion this year and is predicted to reach EUR 398 billion by the year of 2020.

However, only 41,300 Chinese tourists travelled to Western Australia in the last financial year, and in comparison to a few years ago, this is a considerable increase. In November 2011, Western Australia signed a partnership with China Southern Airlines with the ambition to boost the local tourism market, which is expected to bring more Chinese tourists to the region in the comingfew years.

The pattern of Chinese tourists while travelling has also significantly changed. Now they are more likely to be independent travellers spontaneously seeking for unique experience, something Western Australia is confident that it can offer. Therefore, Western Australia sees in the burgeoning Chinese outbound tourism market a good opportunity to promote local tourism.

Through China’s 650 million social media users, Western Australia has successfully made itself known to more potential Chinese visitors by using online marketing. More opportunities showed up with the reality TV show, “Dad, Where Are We Going?”. This popular Chinese TV show has an average of 75 million viewers each episode, and two episodes of the recent season were filmed in Western Australia, which greatly promoted its image in China.

The West Australian interviewed COTRI China Outbound Tourism Research Institute’s Professor Wolfgang Georg Arlt, who argued that it is essential for tourist destinations to attract more Chinese tourists since the Global tourism grows by 4%, while tourism in China grows by 15% to 20% every year, which presents a big opportunity to destinations around the world.

Professor Arlt also gave a presentation in Perth last year and claimed that what Western Australia offers attracts potential Chinese tourists. According to the professor, Chinese tourists are no longer satisfied with merely sightseeing or looking at new buildings. They wish to meet people. According to Rupert Philips, who runs the House of Honey Shop in the Swan Valley with his wife, a deeper understanding of the importance of China could benefit the entire WA tourism industry.

Unlike many western tourists who put more focus on what they are going to do while traveling, Chinese tourists tend to first think of what they are going to buy. Chinese visitors spend an average of EUR 4,689 when they visit Western Australia, while other international visitors spend an average of EUR 2,576, reports The West Australian. Although representing a smaller portion of all visitors to Western Australia, Chinese tourists are bringing much higher revenues by person than other groups of tourists.

Adam Handley, president of the Western Australian branch of the Australia China Business Council said, “We’re embracing the opportunities”, “Not blind to the challenges — but we’re trying to grasp the opportunities.”

Source: The West Australian

Photo: flickr