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Chinese tourists’ infatuation with Australia is showing no sign of waning. Amanda Wang and Ling Li shopping at Melbourne’s Emporium centre. Picture: Stuart McEvoy
CHINESE visitors have ramped up their travel to Australia at the same time as more and more Aussies move out.
With the help of additional flights for Lunar New Year celebrations, the number of Chinese arrivals rose 45.1 per cent on the same time last year to 166,000 for the month.
The figure was almost double that of New Zealand visitors in January at 87,600, and has put China within reach of overtaking the Kiwis as our number one source of visitors in coming months.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed in the year to January 1.25 million Chinese people travelled down under, compared with 1.34 million New Zealanders.
Other markets to record huge hikes in travel to Australia, were Vietnam — up 102 per cent in January, Hong Kong — up 60 per cent, Malaysia — up 31.8 per cent and Taiwan — up 23.9 per cent.
There was also strong growth in visitors from Brazil (23 per cent), Germany (16.9 per cent), Russia (13.3 per cent) and the United States (14.4 per cent).
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Foreign tourists Tanya Zollino from France (far right), Zack Williams from the UK and Marta Carrion from Spain enjoy the beach at Mooloolaba. Picture: Lachie MillardSource:News Corp Australia
Tourism Australia Managing Director John O’Sullivan said the first monthly tourism data for 2017 showed that Australia had lost none of its appeal among international travellers with numbers up 17 per cent on a year ago.
“Obviously the timing of this year’s Lunar New Year helped deliver a strong performance for January, but it is nevertheless very pleasing to see increased visitor arrivals growth across all of our key markets,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
However the statistics also revealed Australians leaving the country in record numbers.
In the last 12-months a record 452,740 Aussies left for overseas permanently or for an extended period.
Commsec Chief Economist Craig James said the rate of permanent departures was growing at 13 per cent a year.
“During the Global Financial Crisis, Aussies stayed at home with permanent departures from our shores flatlining,” said Mr James.
“But in just the past year, more and more Aussies have decided to try their luck abroad.”
Taiwanese family Julie Chiang (mother), daughters Vanessa Ho, 10, and Joanna Ho, 3, and father Huazai Ho explore Queen Street Mall in Brisbane. Picture: Claudia BaxterSource:News Corp Australia
The most popular foreign destinations for Australians were New Zealand, Indonesia and the United States — but the fastest growing were Japan, China and Canada.
Numbers heading to Indonesia contracted 10 per cent, and those to the US were flat — after a sharp downturn in December.
Happily Americans showed no sign of declining interest in Australia with regional markets such as the Sunshine Coast in Queensland enjoying double-digit growth.
“After the Bindi (Irwin)-led renaissance in 2015-16, we have seen the largest ever growth from America, with increases in air capacity, decreases in the US dollar, and vigorous marketing producing stellar results,” said Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Simon Latchford.
“Americans are back in love with Queensland, and the combination of the Sunshine Coast’s natural attractions and urban pleasures are really resonating with American travellers.”