According to an Expedia report, Chinese cities have for the first time taken four spots in the top ten international destinations for Australian travelers, including the top three: demand for Shanghai rose 150% year-on-year, Shenzhen 130%, and Beijing 110%. Guangzhou, ranked sixth, also saw an increase of 55%.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that in July 2024, over 50,000 Australians returned from China, up 21% compared with the same period in 2019. However, Chinese tourist arrivals to Australia have been slower to recover, with only 112,900 visitors recorded in the same month—still 25% below pre-pandemic levels. Despite this, the industry considers China to remain the “fastest-growing inbound market.”
Margy Osmond, CEO of the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF), noted that the slower-than-expected return of Chinese visitors has impacted retail, dining, education, and regional economies. In 2019, Chinese tourists spent A$10.3 billion in Australia across 1.328 million trips; by 2024, this had declined to A$8.1 billion and 829,000 trips.
To revitalize the market, Tourism Australia launched the A$130 million “Come and Say G’Day” campaign, featuring Chinese actor Yu Shi in promotional advertisements.