AUSTRALIA introduced three-year, multiple entry tourist visas for Chinese visitors to Australia in a move that’s been welcomed by the country’s tourism industry.
Last Friday’s announcement comes just a year after the same extension was granted to business visas for Chinese and three months on from a landmark air services agreement that will see air capacity to Australia triple over the next 18 months to 67,000 seats per week from China.
“With growing affluence and a rising middle class, China is a huge growth market for Sydney Airport, with Chinese passengers set to become our largest international visitor market by 2016,” said Kerrie Mather, managing director and CEO of Sydney Airport.
China is currently Australia’s second largest inbound visitor market. Close to 790,000 Chinese travellers visited Australia in the year to September 2014, with 47 per cent of arrivals being repeat visitors.
Andrew Robb, Australian federal minister for trade and investment, said the government is determined to help Australia capture more of the rapidly growing Chinese tourist market.
“Chinese tourists are increasingly more discerning and looking for an authentic Australian experience,” said Robb. “Repeat visitors are an increasingly important market sector as they tend to stay for longer periods and are higher yielding in terms of their spending.”
Managing director of Melbourne-based Australian Tours Management, Eng Waa Teh, said: “I believe it’s a great move by the Australian government to facilitate this visa assurance for the Chinese visitors. It will hopefully improve the numbers of Chinese visitors to Australia.”
