Sydney (Press Release, NSW Tourism): NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade & Investment Andrew Stoner today announced a new agreement to promote travel to Sydney and Regional NSW from Nanjing in China, with China Eastern Airlines. 
The co-operative agreement between the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, and China Eastern Airlines, will see the marketing and promotion of four new travel packages.
“NSW already has a very strong relationship with China in terms of tourism and this agreement will only strengthen that,” Mr Stoner said.
“China now ranks as the number one source market for visitors to NSW in terms of their expenditure and visitor nights and second in terms of visitor numbers.
“The growth in visitors to NSW from China over the last five years is nothing short of incredible.
“Since 2008, the number of visitors has increased by 53 per cent, visitor nights by 54 per cent and expenditure by a staggering 84 per cent.
“In the year ended March 2013 we welcomed over 383,500 visitors to NSW from mainland China – almost a 20 per cent increase on last year – and those visitors spent over $1.3b and stayed 11.3m nights.
“There is no doubt China is an incredibly important market for NSW and today’s agreement with China Eastern Airlines will provide another boost to tourism in NSW.”
With Sydney the destination for 97 per cent of visitors to NSW from China, the headline NSW package includes a six night, seven day Sydney and surrounds itinerary, also featuring the Hunter Valley, the Blue Mountains and Port Stephens, plus three multi-destination packages targeting seniors travel, the family market and self-drive.
The packages include China Eastern promotional airfares, and will be sold via five key Nanjing retail travel agents – China International Travel Service (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., China Youth Travel Service Jiangsu Corporation Ltd, Jiangsu China Travel Service Co., Ltd, Jiangsu Sainty Overseas Tourist Co., Ltd and Nanjing Zhongbei Friendship International Travel Service Co., Ltd.
China Eastern currently flies three times per week from Nanjing to Sydney (also stopping at Beijing). The campaign represents the start of a new collaborative marketing campaign between China Eastern Airlines and Destination NSW.
During the Deputy Premier’s current trade mission in China, he will participate in a Destination NSW Tourism Forum in Chengdu. The Forum, being attended by seven Chinese travel trade representative companies including China Southern Airlines, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines, Sichuan Airlines Co. Ltd, Sichuan China Youth Travel Service, Chongqing Grand China Express International Travel Service, Chengdu Overseas Tourist Branch and Sichuan China International Travel Service, will promote high-end NSW tourism products and raise the profile of NSW tourism.
“The message to China’s travel industry is that NSW is ready for increased tourist numbers from China – we have the products and we have the breathtaking scenery and unique experiences,” Mr Stoner said.
“Be that outstanding food and wine, nature or adventure experiences, or great shopping and major events, visitors from China can be assured a very warm welcome.”
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