Travel Daily | Port Stephens Chases Record Number of Chinese Tourists

China and its burgeoning middle class, is Australia’s fastest growing international tourist market, with a record 558,600 Chinese visiting Down Under in 2011 – a 15 per cent jump on 2010. And while in Australia, Chinese tourists spent an unprecedented $3.8 billion last year.

Port Stephens Tourism Marketing Manager, Tars Bylhouwer, and four local tourism operators visited China this month to showcase the region as part of a trade mission spearheaded by Destination NSW and Tourism Queensland, which attracted tourism bodies and companies from across both States.

The Port Stephens group met with tour companies from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and laid the path for likely visits soon to Port Stephens by more student groups and Chinese visitors on self-drive or guided tours between Sydney and Brisbane. The group, which also entertained the trade show audience in China with a karaoke-style version of Port Stephen’s new promotional theme song, ‘P.S. I Love You’, included David Nye from Newcastle Airport to help promote the airport as a gateway to the region, Janene Rees from Moonshadow Cruises and Port Stephens 4WD Tours, Michael Stern from Oaks Hotels and Don Rosenfeldt from Red Carpet Tours.

Mr Bylhouwer said China would increasingly become an important source market for international tourists to Port Stephens. “Port Stephens Tourism has been actively working on the growing Chinese market since 1998 and more Chinese have been visiting our region as a result but we have now upped the ante to tap the huge potential China now represents for us as a result of strong economic growth there,” he said.

“And while we chase the Chinese market, we are also working hard to entice visitors from a range of other markets like New Zealand, America, Europe, Singapore and Japan to ensure our eggs are in lots of baskets at the same time. International tourism is an extremely important component of the local industry as inbound visitors tend to come mainly midweek and outside the peak seasons which helps spread tourism income throughout the year. There are also significant social and cultural benefits in sharing our piece of paradise with visitors from around the world.”

A 2½ hour drive north of Sydney, Port Stephens offers sailing, dolphin cruises, sandboarding and quad biking on Australia’s biggest sand dunes, camel rides on the beach, horseriding, parasailing, koala spotting, kayaking, fishing, fauna parks, wineries, bushwalks, seafood restaurants and a choice of ocean and harbour beaches.

For general information on the region, visit www.portstephens.org.au.

Pictured: Tars Bylhouwer from Port Stephens Tourism with China based Destination NSW staff, Yoko and Angel.