Australian Immigration News

Increase in Chinese Visitor Numbers Travelling to Australia

The number of Chinese visitors travelling to Australia in the year ending March 2012 increased by 15 percent in comparison with the previous year.

According to Tourism Research Australia's latest International Visitors Survey, China is confirmed as Australia's major tourism growth market as 530,293 Chinese visitors travelled to Australia and spent $2.8 billion, or six percent more compared to the year ending March 2011.

Chinese visitors contributed to the one percent rise in overall visitors to Australia. 5,439,567 international tourists visited Australia during the year ending March 2012. They spent $18.2 billion in Australia - four percent more than in the previous year.

According to the Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson AM MP, the slight increase in overall visitor numbers was a solid result given the economic uncertainty in much of the world and the effects of the strong Australian dollar.

"The survey confirms findings from previous International Visitor Surveys that growth in Asia is offsetting a decline in visitor numbers from Europe and North America".

"Tourism Australia's $61 million Asia Marketing Fund will help to further increase Asian demand for Australian tourism during the next few years".

"Coupled with the inevitable long-term economic rebound in other markets, the growth on Australia's doorstep will create a brighter future for our tourism industry," he added.

In addition, the survey showed that Taiwan and Indonesia were two more countries with strong visitor growth for the year ending March 2012, with arrivals in Australia up nine and thirteen percent respectively. In the last 6 months of 2011, the Department of Immigration recorded a 43 percent increase in Australian working holiday visas granted to Taiwanese.

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