Travel advisors who attended the “Nihao! China” tourism promotion in Sydney last night went home better acquainted with the popular travel destination’s carriers, its upgraded payment systems, plus a host of flights as prizes.
Hosted by the China National Tourist Office, in collaboration with the China Cultural Centre in Sydney, the industry-focused seminar provided the latest updates on China’s inbound tourism market and aimed to strengthen cooperation between the Australian travel trade and Chinese tourism and aviation sectors.
Special guests included Wang Yu, Consul for Cultural Affairs of Consulate-General of China in Sydney, who spoke of the increased popularity of self-guided China visits.
While Australian visitors to China numbered 673,000 in 2025, an increase of 8 per cent over the previous year, they were just a fraction of the 35 million visitors annually.
Australian visitation to the destination has been “greatly improved by the 30-day visa free environment” he said, plus improved payment systems offered by both UnionPay and Bank of China and better connections offered by airlines including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Xiamen Air, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and Juneyao Air who were all present last night.
Also present was Sydney Airport Group Executive, Aviation Growth & Group Strategy, Greg Botham, who spoke of the Silk Skyway and Sydney’s “great connections to China” which now number 14 destinations across a total of nine carriers.
Also attending was ATIA director of Membership and Industry Affairs, Richard Taylor, in his last official role with the association, who spoke highly of the agents present.
“This is the time when they are demonstrating their value to travel ecosystem,” he said in reference to the current crisis in the Middle East.
Wendy Wu Tour’s Simon Bell invited advisors to look to its new “China Uncovered” tour, the first of its kind to combine classic highlights with the latest top attractions together in a single 20-day itinerary for an immersive China experience.
Due to strong demand, the inaugural departure on 8 October 2026 is already close to selling out, prompting Wendy Wu Tours to release a second 2026 departure on 9 October 2026 to accommodate the growing interest from Australian travellers.
A group of Flight Centre advisors were the luckiest on the night with Mark, Lisa, Mali and Deniz all scoring win China-Australia return air tickets, including a Business Class ticket, generously provided by participating airlines.
The night finished with a networking opportunity with Australian travel trade, representatives from Chinese airlines and tourism organisations, over a selection of authentic Chinese cuisine and refreshments.
