China growth saves stagnant tourism industry

Australia's tourism industry, which has been in the doldrums because of a downturn in visitors from Europe and North America, is being saved by travellers from Asia.

Tourism from China is up by more than 20 per cent in just 12 months. Singaporeans and Malaysians are also regulars.

However, Australia's long term tourism growth might be stymied by a lack of language skills, as Adam Harvey reports.

ADAM HARVEY: A brisk wind blows chilly squalls across the tourist mecca of Mrs Macquarie's Chair, on Sydney Harbour.

The unseasonable weather doesn't deter Jung Yun Lim, who's trying to balance his camera on a rail so he can take a picture of the Harbour Bridge.

JUNG YUN LIM: Yesterday I went to the Opera House and then go to The Rocks, and today waiting for taking a picture of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House

ADAM HARVEY: Asian visitors like Lim are keeping our tourism industry afloat.

Andrew McEvoy is the managing director of Tourism Australia

ANDREW MCEVOY: It's been a tough year for tourism. Our overall numbers are up just less than 1 per cent but China is up 20 plus per cent off the back off 20 plus per cent growth last year, so quite incredible.

ADAM HARVEY: Asian visitors are filling the plane seats once taken up by Europeans and Americans.

ANDREW MCEVOY: The traditional markets of the UK, Europe and the Americas, given their sort of macroeconomic woes, are struggling and are in slight decline.

But there are plenty of markets growing for Australia. India is up double digit as is Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia is growing again.

ADAM HARVEY: And a lot of those Chinese visitors are given a very different experience to that of tourists from the US and the UK.

Quentin Long is the managing editor of Australian Traveller magazine

QUENTIN LONG: The quintessential experiences of cuddling a koala, seeing the Harbour Bridge, doing some shopping and maybe having a nice meal.

ADAM HARVEY: There's a reason why package tours are so popular amongst Asian visitors - we don't cater so well for tourists who aren't fluent in English.

Tourism Australia's Andrew McEvoy.

ANDREW MCEVOY: Yeah look I think language I think is sometimes a barrier and we have to keep getting better at it. Not just language but also, you know, some cultural understanding as well as food options and that sort of stuff.

ADAM HARVEY: Australian Traveller's Quentin Long.

QUENTIN LONG: I would suggest that we really do - if you do not have basic English or some English it can be very, very, very challenging.

ADAM HARVEY: But none of that bothers Jung Yun Lim. He just wants a bit more of Australia's famous sunshine.

JUNG YUN LIM: This year I ideally want to find a warm city so I choose Sydney.

ADAM HARVEY: It's very cold though.

JUNG YUN LIM: (laughs) Yeah. So we couldn't prepare the warm weather, so now my wife feels very cold.

TONY EASTLEY: And so do many other people in Sydney I'm told.

Korean tourist Jung Yun Lim, ending that report from Adam Harvey.

Source - abc.net.au