Celebrations are well under way for Chinese New Year, with additional charter flights landing in airports all across Australia.
The airlines are expected to bring big dollars and plenty of visitors, with the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) supporting the major holiday.
TTF’s chief executive Margy Osmond said the additional visitors pouring in Australia to celebrate Chinese New Year brings a big boost to all sectors of the industry.
“Chinese New Year is a major holiday and there is significant demand for travel to Australia at this time of year,” she said.
“Gold Coast Airport, which does not usually have direct flights from China, has already seen a record number of charter flights in 2015. Last year interest was so high that that the government had to increase the number of flights permitted from China to meet demand.
“There is also evidence that these visitors are spending big once they get here. Shopping is the number one activity for Chinese travellers and, on average, they spend twice as much as tourists from Europe. This year data shows a tenfold increase in the average duty free spend at some airports, with a particular focus on high end, luxury items.
And while this is great news for the tourism industry, Osmond said there is still a long way to go in terms of making the trek down under easier for Chinese visitors.
“Our outdated visa process means Chinese visitors must fill in a paper form, pay $130, apply in person with documentary evidence and wait over a week. By contrast, Hong Kong visitors can apply for a visa online, pay $20 and receive almost immediate approval,” Osmond commented.
“We could also make it easier for Chinese travellers to spend their money here and collect back the GST on their purchases. In other countries private operators have taken over management of tax refund schemes and have invested heavily in promoting local shopping to China and other visitor markets. There is no reason why this could not be considered in Australia.”
Australian customs have made a start in regards to reform, with a new app for travellers to input their claims as they purchase.
In its short, two-month lifespan, the app has been downloaded by 75,000 people, with 47% of these Chinese.
Osmond says while this uptake is pleasing, the app has failed to create a Chinese language version in time for this important Chinese holiday.
“Governments around Australia should invest in the reforms we need to make our industry globally competitive and not take for granted the success of this year’s Chinese New Year.”
