Gold Coast Accommodation Providers Reap the Rewards of Increased Chinese Tourists
Outbound tourism forecasts place China as the Gold Coast's single biggest international growth opportunity over the next five years. This has made the Gold Coast friendlier and considerate of Chinese visitors for the holidays.


BEVERLY HILLS, CA, July 27, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- More than half the travelers surveyed from China said they intend to travel to Australia over the next two years, and their top three priorities are natural scenery, sunshine and beaches, and new places, a report revealed on Tuesday.

Tourism Australia boss Andrew McEvoy said the results of the latest Visa PATA Travel Intentions Survey show Australia is "top of mind" for Chinese travelers.

Gold Coast Tourism (GCT) Corporation boss Martin Winter said the results of the survey underscore the timeliness of the tourist strip's decision to increase its investment in the Chinese market. This is also supported by a relaxation of regulations from the Chinese Government into how many outbound travel agencies.

"China is now the second largest source region for tourists to the Gold Coast, with 106,000 visitors in the year to March 2010, but more importantly it is showing the best long-term rapid growth potential, with a 15 percent increase over the previous year," he said. Outbound tourism forecasts place China as the Gold Coast's single biggest international growth opportunity over the next five years. GCT forecasts Chinese visitation to increase by around 10% over the next two years, outstripping the growth of the Gold Coast's current number one and two international source markets, New Zealand and Japan respectively. China is currently the Gold Coast's third largest source of international tourists, last year it attracted 96,792 Chinese visitors who spent $57 million in the city.

In response to this trend, GCT has taken timely and decisive action on behalf of the Gold Coast tourism industry, by appointing a full time marketing representative in China in June. The GCT Regional Manager is responsible for leading promotion of the city as a leisure and business tourism destination, increasing travel trade relationships, generating new commercial partnership opportunities, and boosting the exposure and knowledge of the Gold Coast as an international destination of choice. This international structure of on-the-ground activity in the emerging China market and increased marketing activity in the relatively mature South East Asian markets is expected to drive solid growth.

One such marketing promotion included partnering with the Shanghai Marathon to promote the Gold Coast Marathon. As a result, runners from Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, China and Hong Kong are strongly represented in this year's pack.

"The Queensland Government recently launched a promotion in China to see the top four Shanghai Marathon 2010 runners invited to participate in the 2011 Gold Coast Airport Marathon," Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said.

"The aim is to encourage more Chinese runners to enter the event and is just one example of the sort of targeted overseas marketing that has taken place this year."

Gold Coast accommodation providers in the region are reaping rewards from the event, with many reporting they are at capacity or near capacity over the weekend.

In a recent interview, the development manager of SunMore Holidays, Ashraf Kamha, stated "The results from the Visa PATA Travel Intentions Survey does not come as a surprise to most accommodation providers."

"SunMore Holidays is certainly experiencing an increase in Chinese visitors choosing to book through our website."

Kamha suggests the tried and true formula of providing exceptional value for money has continued to pave the way for the Gold Coast.

"The Gold Coast ticks all the boxes that Chinese tourists are looking for," Mr Kamha said. "They are particularly well suited to what the Gold Coast has to offer because ... it is better positioned than anywhere else in Australia to give them the 'fun' element of their trip."

Mr Kamha said up to 15 per cent of SunMore Holiday's business depended on international tourism and China was a key new market along with growing the existing Hong Kong and Korean business.

"I believe it will be like Japan was for the Gold Coast 20 years ago," he said.

"The potential volumes out of China are unbelievable."

"Furthermore," continues Kamha, "the Gold Coast City council's consideration about adding Mandarin translations on street signs could lead to thousands more Chinese holiday-makers finding their way to the Gold Coast."

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Carly Whitmore
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