Australia eyes big influx of Chinese travelers

China is expected to regain its position as the top source country for Australia's inbound tourism in the near future, a senior executive at Tourism Australia said.

The number of Chinese travelers arriving in Australia was nearly 950,000 between June 2024 and May 2025, a year-on-year increase of 21 percent, making China the fastest-growing international source market for Australia's inbound tourism, Phillipa Harrison, managing director of Tourism Australia, said in an exclusive interview.

China is currently Australia's second-largest market for inbound tourist arrivals, she said.

"The only market that has more visitors is New Zealand, our very close neighbor. So, China is a big market with huge potential, and we are confident to see it continuing to grow over the next period of time," Harrison said.

China was the top provider of inbound foreign tourists for Australia in 2018 and 2019, with around 1.4 million travelers arriving annually. However, it decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. "Inbound travel from China hasn't returned to its full strength yet."

The Australian tourism authority said it has noticed a trend among Chinese tourists recently — instead of simply sightseeing in the cities, they are now traveling all over the country.

"Chinese travelers are now going outside of the cities. They hire cars and go into much more regional areas. That's the case even for first-time visitors," Harrison said.

For example, Australia's Tasmania State reported that in 2023, the number of Chinese tourists increased by 38 percent compared to the previous year. The export volumes of local cherries and salmon have risen significantly driven by the influx of tourists.

In the Northern Territory, Uluru reported that the number of Chinese tourists has continued to surge, with an expected reach of 30,000 visitors this year. A significant proportion of these tourists are families, even multi-generation ones, who prefer activities like camel rides and helicopter overviews.

Data from online travel agency Trip.com showed that Australia was the top long-haul outbound destination for Chinese travelers during this year's Chinese New Year holiday, with self-driving orders increasing by nearly 22 percent month-on-month.

With the number of travelers in their 20s increasing, the Australian tourism authority said younger individuals seek more adventure-based programs.

"They go out to the mountains, go diving and go hiking, among other activities, which also makes their stay in the country slightly longer than before," Harrison said.

Several travel agencies said that thrilling experiences, such as skydiving, helicopter tours at the Great Barrier Reef and rainforest zip-lining have become popular choices for Chinese tourists visiting Australia.

Chen Ying, a product booking manager at travel portal Ly.com, said that Chinese tourists show a strong interest in skydiving as well as other "once-in-a-lifetime opportunities", and that there has been a notable increase in bookings for hiking, hot air ballooning and nature experiences as well.

zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn