Easy visa key to reshaping Aussie tourism

SYDNEY -- Streamlining the Australian visa entry process for the critical Chinese tourism market will offer huge benefits for the sector, Australia's top industry group, Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) said in the wake of a policy shift from the opposition coalition, Tuesday.

The Shadow Australian Tourism Minister Bob Baldwin indicated that a future coalition government will implement electronic lodgment of visas, and extend of multiple entry visas for Chinese visitors and premium visa processing.

Near 700,000 Chinese visitors came to Australia in 2012-13, up more than 100,000 in the previous 12 months.

Speaking at a China National Tourism Administration dinner last night, Baldwin pledged that if elected next month, the coalition will upgrade visa access for Chinese visitors as part of the ongoing free-trade negotiations (FTA).

"I have been asking a simple question -- what can the Australian government do to better support more Chinese tourists coming to Australia -- and there is one message I hear loud and clear: we need to have a more welcoming visa arrangement," Baldwin told an enthused audience.

With Australia in full campaign mode for the looming national election, the opposition coalition plans to streamline the sometimes sticky visa process by having online lodgment of visas, encouraging repeat visits and a 24-hour turnaround for visa application.

The process will be charged for, of course, an additional but as yet unconfirmed fee.

TTF Chief Executive Ken Morrison said this is welcome news for an industry much beholden to China's globetrotting middle classes.

"Anything that makes it easier for Chinese visitors to come to Australia is a positive step," Mr. Morrison said.

Despite the challenges of an inflated Aussie dollar -- rolling above parity for much of the last 24 months, the number of Chinese tourists has continued to grow to record numbers.

The critical role of the Chinese market has never been more apparent as domestically tourism has slumped, as more Australians travel overseas, riding high on the strengths of the Australian dollar.

The rising swell of Chinese visitors continues to breathe life into the hospitality, retail, transport and accommodation sectors, and is keeping the more than 500,000 industry workers inside the economy.

Australian Tourism Chief Executive Andrew Mc Evoy recently told Xinhua that China is critical to Australia's tourism objectives.

"China is Australia's second largest by volume and highest value market -- so in 2012, with 626,000 Chinese visitors. The year to that, this year, is tacking closer to 700,000 visitors per annum, spending in access of four and a half billion Australian dollars at almost $7000 a head," he said.

"So the high value customer market is growing rapidly. The general number are growing between 13 -16 per cent, but the leisure numbers -- people just having holidays--- is growing more like 25 percent," Mc Evoy told Xinhua.

In the last financial year more than 685,000 short-term visitor arrived from China, representing about 11 percent of all tourists, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Tourism has always been a pillar of Australia' domestic economy, despite the headline grabbing return of the mining and resources sectors which have also been booming on the back of growing China ties.