January 25 2013: The Age Business newspaper in Melbourne today printed the Australian Bureau of Statistics findings revealing that Chinese have overtaken New Zealand, U.K. and U.S.A. and become the top inbound tourism spenders in Australia.

Mainland Chinese contributed $3.77 Billion AUD and Hong Kong short term arrivals contributed $0.79 Billion into the Australian economy in 2012. For 2013 these figures are expected to rise even more. As traditional arrivals from the EU and USA numbers decline, the Chinese are “filling the gaps” and greatly supporting the tourism industry in Australia.

“The new tourists”

This rise in inbound Chinese tourists is not just happening in Australia, with New Zealand also seeing sharp annual increases in new arrivals. Globally, Chinese international tourists spending is ranked 3rd according to the CTA China tourism Authority.

We predict global Chinese tourism spend to overtake Germany sometime in 2013 or 2014.

Chinese tourists are different to EU and USA arrivals. Half still come on group tour bookings, and they prefer to stay shorter periods of time in certain locations rather than stay for months and travel around the country.
They also prefer to shop and eat at restaurants. Due to the large numbers of Chinese students, many inbound tourists are relatives visiting their son or daughter then add on a vacation.

Australian businesses also need to “adapt” and “be prepared” with the Accor hotel chain cited as a good example of adding on China friendly website materials, cultural comforts and staff, in essence “rolling out the red carpet” for the new top tourism spenders.