Australia’s tourism growth lies with China

China is likely to become the number one international tourism source market in the world by 2015 according to China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI) director Professor Wolfgang Arlt.

According to COTRI research, between 1995 and 2010, Chinese tourism grew by 815 per cent while the global tourism figures increased by 7.3 per cent.

Professor Arlt said the Australian tourism industry creates more than half a million employment opportunities and generates AUD34 billion and tapping into the rapidly growing Chinese market could have a significant impact on the country’s economy.

Tourism Australia's Strategy and Research general manager Nell Anderson said in the last 12 months 453,800 Chinese tourists visited Australia which represents a 24 per cent increase.

"Since being the first western country to be awarded Approved Destination Status (ADS) for group leisure travel back in 1999, we've put a huge amount of effort into developing the China market, the benefits of which are now being seen,” Ms Anderson said.

Tourism Australia has developed the 2020 China Strategic Plan to capture and deal with the potential of this booming market and ensure the tourism industry is well prepared.

“This plan identifies the key opportunities that will help Australia win market share and grow the China travel market to as much as AUD9.5 billion in overnight expenditure and 860,000 visitors annually by 2020,” Ms Anderson said.