For Australia, Chinese tourists are the largest gold medalist in Australia`s tourism industry. Every year, the number of tourists from China to Australia is numerous, driving the development of a series of Australian industries.
20 years ago, Australia became one of the first Western countries to receive Chinese government "permission to travel ", with billions of dollars of revenue coming from tourism each year.
However, as China and Australia relationship not as expected, Australia`s tourism industry is likely to usher in a cold winter.
Felicia Mariani, Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Council of Virginia, said:
COVID-19 marks the end of Australia`s golden age of tourism,
is also the end of Australia`s largest single international tourist source.
Kiff Saunders is the owner of Melbourne Global Ballooning Company.
Prior to the federal government`s COVID-19 ban on chinese visitors to australia ,50% of the company`s visitors came from china, he said.
He also employs a lot of mandarin-speaking staff.
At present, he is optimistic about the relationship between China and Australia.
You know, Australian international tourists bring Australia $45.4 billion in revenue, of which China accounts for $12.4 billion!
Enough to demonstrate how much Australian tourism depends on Chinese tourists.
A former Australian tourism official said: After the outbreak, it is necessary for Australia to focus on other countries to attract people to Australia for vacation.
China has proved its ability to use tourism as a protest weapon.
When china and south korea relationship not as expected in 2017, after south korea deployed an american-made anti-missile system along its border, a large number of chinese tourists boycott on holiday in south korea,
China`s warning of a trip to Australia has hit Australia with a big impact, given the size of the market.
In response, the Australian Tourism Board said: will not avoid China as the first source of tourists.
Australia will quickly resume its campaign in China once international travel restrictions are lifted, Birmingham said.
We need to attract international tourists to Australia to support our tourism industry.
Kiff Saunders said there was no regret for investing heavily in the Chinese market.
He also worked closely with the Australian Tourism Board to praise its successful marketing efforts for bringing a large number of Chinese tourists to Australia.
"With the exception of India, it is difficult to find a country that can replace the Chinese market, and Chinese tourists are very enthusiastic and love to travel ," he said. "
The Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park marketing manager, by contrast, Sara Ang remain optimistic about the lack of Chinese tourists.
Although Chinese tourists accounted for 20 percent of the zoo`s visitors before COVID-19, she believes the domestic market will fill the gap for overseas tourists.
Featherdale plans to work with Australian Chinese travel agencies and guides to focus on local Chinese and Chinese students.
Sangkyun Kim, an associate professor of tourism at the University of Western Australia, said Australia could be promoted as a clean, green and safe place to travel if it is properly controlled.
These qualities will attract tourists from other countries outside China.
"Australia remains a popular tourist destination recognized by many other Asian countries ," he said.
After COVID-19, if they had to travel, it was clear that they would choose a safe destination like Australia. "
Australian Tourism minister Appeal for Australian Domestic Tourism
But before the border opened, the australian tourism minister said it could replace lost overseas tourists with australians, which means traveling inside australia.
Australia government urged nearly 10 million Australians who travelled abroad last year :" Look at your home`s backyard during the next vacation. "
Australia`s borders are still open, but the state community is increasingly open, to meet the urgent needs of Australia`s tourism industry, it may be on the Australian themselves.
"For affordable Australians, we want them to feel a`patriotic responsibility` to enjoy as much Australian vacation as possible, go out and support the work and business of their businesses of their compatriots ," the travel minister Simon Birmingham said Wednesday at the National News Club. "
This means that it will no longer be a beach in Bali, but a beach in Byron Bay. "
"I hope that Australians will use this time to cross our magical mainland, and become ambassadors who know their country best. "
At the same time, he said, not just native Australians, hope to be able to understand and support Australia`s aboriginal tourism after the border is open to foreign visitors.
"The dissemination of the world`s oldest existing cultural stories should be based on the experiences Australia has shared with tourists around the world ," he said. "
Conclusion
You know, the annual tourist population of China to Australia can reach 1.5 million, and, Chinese tourists in foreign capacity is obvious to all.
Although to allow Australians to replace the missing overseas passengers, but this consumption capacity, is not comparable.
In addition, although Australians want to go out to play after the epidemic, but still can not ignore the epidemic blockade caused by a large number of Australian unemployment, business closure and other phenomena.
I am afraid to encourage domestic travel, many people have this heart, do not have that financial resources.
Plus, if there is a real lack of China as the gold master, believe that Australia`s tourism golden period is really gone...
