China. Australia is fast becoming an experienced business event and incentive destination for visitors from China. Tourism Australia Business Events and their event partners recently hosted 3,000 delegates from China for the Perfect China Incentive Program in Sydney, while the Gold Coast in Queensland also recently hosted Herbalife China incentive delegates who experienced the excellent diversity of venues and experiences from natural experiences to man made attractions.
In the last financial year, Asia represented 50% of the tourist market in New South Wales, Australia, with half of that from China. Coming to Sydney in the next 12 months are 11 business events with 30,000 Chinese visitors from industries including direct selling, automotive, pharmaceutical and insurance.
The Gold Coast also regularly hosts large groups from China including incentive events for Toyota, Amway and Cathay Life. As host of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the Gold Coast will continue to enhance its capacity to cater for large-scale groups and events.
The Australian business events industry is responding to this growing market in a number of ways:
* Business events stakeholders in New South Wales have developed a strategy to help them be “China ready” to welcome new visitors from China, including conference delegates and business events.
* Educational programs have been developed to better support the retail and hospitality sectors how to communicate with visitors from China, better understand their cultural differences, and their interests including food, shopping and experiences.
* Selected Sydney hotels now provide products and services in Mandarin including beverages and snacks, in-room directories, a dedicated hotel TV channel, emergency signage and Mandarin speaking concierge.
* Sydney airport are developing signage in Mandarin to help direct passengers landing in Sydney.
* The new Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre will include a major redevelopment of Chinatown.
