Martin Ferguson
Minister for Resources and Energy
Minister for Tourism
Jan Jarratt
Minister for Tourism, Manufacturing and Small Business
A $400,000 radio and online advertising campaign will start in China today telling millions of Chinese why there’s nothing like Queensland for an Australian holiday.
Federal Tourism Minister, Martin Ferguson, and Queensland Minister for Tourism, Manufacturing and Small Business, Jan Jarratt, said the Chinese radio and online blitz, formed part of the $10 million global tourism recovery strategy announced by the Australian and Queensland Governments last month.
"China is one of Australia's fastest growing tourism markets and regional areas such as the Gold Coast and Tropical North Queensland have worked hard to attract Chinese visitors out of the major gateways," Minister Ferguson said.
"By targeting Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, the radio and online campaign will be encouraging Chinese families, couples and singles to take up the recently increased air capacity and book a trip to Australia."
The activity follows the recent visit by 25 journalists from mainland China, who participated in the week long global familiarisation tour of Queensland as part of a contingent of almost 200 journalists from 22 countries who travelled to more than 20 Queensland destinations.
"In the coming weeks Tourism Queensland will also roll out a series of Chinese market workshops for the Queensland tourism industry to assist Queensland businesses better understand Chinese culture, customs and business practices," Minister Jarratt said.
"China is now Queensland's fourth largest and fastest growing international market with the state welcoming 188,000 Chinese visitors in 2010, a 23 percent increase on the previous year.
"Chinese visitors spent $338 million on their trips to the state in 2010, an increase of 18 percent on the previous year.
"It is forecast that by 2014 over 255,000 Chinese will visit the state as part of their Australian adventures.
"It's important for Queensland’s tourism industry to capitalise on the state's increasing popularity with Chinese visitors."
Ms Jarratt said recovery efforts by the industry were in full swing and the world now knew that nothing beats the resilience of Queensland’s tourism industry.
"This marketing activity is an important component of our recovery strategy, designed to encourage Chinese travellers to book a Queensland holiday and support the state's $9.2 billion tourism industry," she said.