China Southern, Western Australia renew tourism pact

Stephnie Buckland, chief executive officer of Tourism Western Australia, shakes hands with Chen Gang, deputy general manager of China Southern Airlines, after both sides signed a cooperative marketing agreement to deepen tourism promotion in both regions in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, on Aug 1, 2014. Photo provided to China Daily

The tourism authority of Western Australia has renewed a strategic partnership agreement with China Southern Airlines in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, to better promote tourism resources between the two regions.

According to the agreement, both sides will deepen cooperation in the next three years by promoting China Southern's air network to Chinese travelers to visit Perth, the capital of Western Australia.

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Each side will invest up to A$2.4 million ($2.2 million) in market promotions in the next three years, according to the agreement.

"We are very delighted to continue the cooperation with China Southern Airlines, hoping more Chinese travelers to enjoy the beautiful nature and wonderful food in Western Australia in the near future," said Stephanie Buckland, chief executive officer of Tourism Western Australia.

The Guangzhou-based airliner started China's first direct flight from Guangzhou to Perth in November 2011, initiating the direct air link between the Chinese mainland and Western Australia.

China Southern runs more than 40 flights between China and Australia per week and its transportation capacity between the two nations is expected to exceed 100 flights by 2015, according to Xinhua News Agency.

According to Buckland, the number of visits from Chinese travelers to Western Australia grew 6.3 percent year-on-year to 33,900 in 2013.

"The direct flights between Perth and Guangzhou played a significant role in boosting Chinese travelers' desire to go to Western Australia in the past few years," said Johnny Nee, director of International Marketing, North Asia of Tourism Western Australia.