The Restaurant Australia campaign, aimed at highlighting Australia’s fresh produce, food and wine, will be launched in Shanghai today as part of a new pitch to grow the number of Chinese tourists visiting Australia.

China is now Australia’s fastest-growing source of tourists with about 785,000 visitors over the past year, to August, who spent $5.3 billion a year, up 15 per cent.

However, a new pitch is targeting wealthy, independent travellers by featuring restaurants and wineries in a bid to increase the number of China’s emerging middle class visiting Australia.

The campaign was a collaboration with state and territory governments which each contributed a major tourist attraction to feature in print and digital advertisements.

Queensland chose Whitehaven Beach, NSW picked Sydney Harbour while Melbourne tourism authorities selected the city’s emerging laneway and rooftop cinema culture.

In Beijing, Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan said food and wine were among the major reasons Chinese tourists cited for visiting Australia.

“Our target market is really that 30 to 49 year-old traveller who is independent, affluent and really into food and wine,” he said.

“We really have pitched it so it appeals to the middle-class traveller, through that we really have focused our efforts in nine cities … we are not targeting the whole country.

“Produce in China of the quality that we have in Australia is not readily available and for people being able to go down and sit in a winery and pick the grapes, they find that amazing.” The ad campaign cost $10 million. Mr O’Sullivan said while Chinese tourist numbers were growing strongly, more independent travellers were starting to visit Australia.

“We are starting to see a shift in the types of visas that are being issued for travel out of China,” he said.

“There are more independent travellers out of China, compared to the tours. The tours are still there and they will always remain but we are seeing a shift in the mix.

“As the market matures and as the Chinese travel market becomes more focused on travel out of the region we are seeing a more sophisticated traveller.”

Mr O’Sullivan said the next step in growing the Chinese tourism market is drawing visitors to places off the eastern seaboard.

The visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Hobart is expected to lead to a greater number of Chinese tourists heading to Tasmania. “I think, as we saw with the UK royal family and the Modern Family visit to Australia with the US visitors, that events like that have a real impact on the knowledge of places that people gain,” he said.

Scott Murdoch will be a guest of Tourism Australia in Shanghai at the official launch today.

Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/tourism-australia-campaign-appeals-to-chinas-good-taste/story-fn91v9q3-1227106464172?nk=21adfc829a0780e94b3626dd7ebdd3ec