Chinese tourists set to sing Victoria's praises

The Australian state of Victoria has launched an online campaign that it hopes will see Chinese tourists singing their praises.

The campaign, "Open Up to More–Melbourne", was unveiled recently in Shanghai.

Chinese?Internet users?can post an online video of them singing the theme song of the campaign, and share it on social media sites such as micro blogs and WeChat.

Each week, the video that gets the most votes will win two round-trip business class tickets to Melbourne. There are eight tickets in total.

According to Denis Napthine, premier of Victoria state, China is Victoria's largest and fastest growing source of tourism, with more than 300,000 Chinese visitors going to the state in 2012.

"By 2021, it's estimated that the state will receive nearly 521,000 Chinese overnight visitors, with a projected expenditure of $1.8 billion," said Napthine, who came to Shanghai for the campaign's launch.

Napthine announced that eight Chinese opinion leaders, such as famous sculptor Xu Hongfei and furniture designer Wang Yang, will be part of the Melbourne Travel Connoisseurs Program. Invited to visit the city, they will promote Victoria's tourism attractions in China and share their experiences and feelings.

"These opinion leaders have considerable influence in China in areas central to Victoria's lifestyle, such as food, wine, and art. They will make great ambassadors for Melbourne and regional Victoria," Napthine said.

World famous Shanghai photographer Deke Erh, who visited Melbourne earlier this year on a photo shoot said: "Melbourne can inspire an artist's imagination with its beauty and vitality."