Australia's tourism sector poised for growth as Chinese visitors surge

Australia's international tourism industry is rebounding strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic, with Chinese visitors surpassing New Zealanders as the country's largest inbound tourist group.

Brisbane-based tour guide Wang Xi has been busy managing bookings and curating customized itineraries for Chinese travelers eager to explore Australia.

"The majority of my Chinese clients are young professionals using their annual leave to travel in small groups of two to six, and they're driving a notable increase in spending on hospitality and tourism experiences," Wang told Xinhua on Monday.

China has reclaimed its position as Australia's top source of international visitors for the first time since the pandemic, overtaking New Zealand.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 114,670 Chinese tourists arrived for short-term visits in January, outpacing the 96,250 arrivals from New Zealand.

The resurgence is a major boost for tourism operators, as Chinese visitors typically spend nearly twice as much as their New Zealand counterparts — 5,081 Australian dollars per trip compared to 2,627 Australian dollars.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison welcomed the rebound, noting that overall international arrivals had risen 17.6 percent compared to January 2024, bringing numbers close to pre-pandemic levels, according to local media reports.

While the US remains Australia's third-largest source of overseas arrivals, destinations across Asia are showing the strongest growth, according to the ABS. (1 Australian dollar equals 0.63 US dollars)