Australia as a tourist destination
According to Tourism Australia’s Business Events division, Australia continues to rate among the highest globally as a destination for business events, ranking either first or second, as a place offering world-class natural environments, local cuisines and wine, outstanding business events facilities, quality accommodation and exclusive experiences.
- In addition to this, Australia is perceived as an aspirational long-haul destination and benefits from being the closest Western destination to China in terms of proximity.
- New direct flights from south and west China to Australia, including the Air China Chengdu to Sydney service and China Southern Airlines Guangzhou to Adelaide service, are providing further opportunities for business events.
What is driving tourism and what is being demanded more of?
With the increase of incoming tourists, standards and demands have also naturally risen, with the typical Chinese customer developing and maturing and driving the demand for new, more adventurous and unique products and experiences.
- Team building activities, unusual forms of transport and more creative theming and activations for gala functions are being requested more than ever before.
- Australia’s accessible natural scenery and sophisticated cities are popular with Chinese business event delegates. Destinations including Sydney, Gold Coast and Melbourne remain popular.
- There are also a lot of new destinations for incentive groups. Adelaide (with the new China Southern direct flights), Cairns (for the Great Barrier Reef) and the Whitsundays for example are growing in popularity.
- Tasmania has also risen in consideration, following the widely publicised visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping. With the visit generating positive publicity and considerable awareness of Tasmania, many companies from China are now interested in considering the State for their top achievers.
- Unsurprisingly, Australia’s fresh food and wine experiences and, in particular, enjoying these in the beautiful destinations such as vineyards and coastal locations that Australia has plenty of, is a recurring topic in reasons that the small land down under is loved so much by the Chinese.
- The proximity of nature to Australia’s urban centres, and of course Australia’s friendly welcoming people and superb business events facilities also make for a topic of interest and appreciation.
What to expect in 2017
China has been running a ‘Best Partner Program’ for more than four years, a strategy designed to build relationships with corporate clients, and provide them with access to marketing and promotional initiatives, and one that is expected to continue through 2017.
- The Business Events Australia Greater China Showcase will be held in Chengdu, China from 19 to 21 April 2017. The Showcase provides Australian Industry the opportunity to meet face to face and discuss business opportunities with Chinese agents and corporate buyers.
- The event also provides Australian industry with insights into market trends during an update by Tourism Australia’s in market business events team. Dreamtime, Tourism Australia’s signature incentive showcase, will be held for the first time in Brisbane from the 3 – 6 December 2017.
- Tourism Australia will invite qualified international incentive agents and business events media from its key markets, including China, to experience Australia’s business events offering first hand. Australia industry will have the opportunity to meet and network with Chinese incentive agents during the event.
If you enjoyed reading this and would like to read more tourism and travel related content, feel free to take a look at our Tourism Case Studies Library!
