Zhang Jingxuan dressed as a cowboy in Port Stephen. (picture of Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Australian Tourism Board (Tourism Australia) spent more than 500000 yuan in fiscal year 2018 to hire "social media stars" from around the world to promote it, but while mainland China is Australia`s main source of tourists, no mainland "online celebrity" has been invited.
However, the Australian Tourism Board stressed that 90 percent of its marketing budget in Greater China is spent on promotion in mainland China.
According to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the Australian Tourism Board paid A $115000 to invite Chinese Hong Kong singer Zhang Jingxuan to promote tourism, and Zhang Jingxuan was the highest paid of all the online influential people invited to promote Australian tourism.
Guangzhou-born Zhang Jingxuan spoke in support of demonstrators during the 2014 Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong. After claiming "quitting as a singer for the fourth season" for "personal reasons" at the end of December 2016, Zhang Jingxuan posted a long post on Sina Weibo to express his attitude and stated that "Some people have written a lot of fierce words and materials for me to wear Put on the hat of "Hong Kong independence". I want to reiterate that I am a Chinese and I am not "Hong Kong independence" from beginning to end. I am firmly opposed to all acts that split the country. This is my principle. "
However, in a comment entitled "never allowing entertainers to eat Chinese meals and smashing Chinese pots" on January 25, 2017, the China Defense Daily, owned by China`s Liberation Army newspaper, directly named Zhang Jingxuan, claiming that "this singer who claims to be `patriotic` on Weibo not only supports` Hong Kong independence`, but also publicly supports` Taiwan independence`." His behavior of "two sides and three knives" was reprimanded by netizens against, boycott.. "
Zhang Jingxuan`s Sina Weibo certification shows as "Chinese singer." his latest Weibo, which is not active on Sina Weibo, is the Weibo that forwarded @ CCTV news on October 1 and says, "Happy Birthday to the motherland."
The Australian Tourism Board said all influential people invited were approved by two managers within its internal framework, but did not confirm whether there was a risk assessment if there were any risks that might upset mainland China.
Tourism Board speaker said (Zhang Jingxuan) "because he is a popular Hong Kong singer and television celebrity, has a strong social media image, and can resonate with the target market of the campaign, that is, young and stylish Hong Kong tourists."
Speaker also said the Tourism Board had not received any complaints about the appointment of Zhang Jingxuan.
It is reported that the decision to invite Zhang Jingxuan to publicize Australian tourism was made before the recent demonstration campaign in Hong Kong.
Patrick L / 39 / espoir Decosta, a senior lecturer in tourism at the Australian National University, said the chances of a rebound were low, given that marketing campaigns were limited to audiences in Hong Kong, but he also pointed to the risks of paying people with social media influence to promote them.
Zhang Jingxuan and DJ Ronald Tong are reported to have filmed four short films to promote (Port Stephens) travel in Sydney and Stephen Port and broadcast it on Zhang Jingxuan`s own social media platform. On video website, a video of the two men in Port Stephen was watched nearly 60, 000 times, and a section of Bondi (Bondi) had nearly 380000 hits.
China is the largest source of tourists in Australia. According to Bureau of Statistics, Australia, 125600 mainland Chinese tourists came to Australia for short-term trips in September alone, surpassing New Zealand (118000) and the United States (69100), and nearly 30, 000 tourists from Hong Kong, China.
Although the Australian Tourism Board has invited "online celebrities" from mainland China in the past to promote tourism, no one has been invited in fiscal year 2018 / 19.
Tourism board speaker said:" about 90% of our marketing budget in greater china has been invested in mainland china for a range of activities, including participating in high-profile broadcasting projects, hosting national media, and various forms of paid publicity."
