In brief
At a Sydney briefing, Tourism Australia chief Robin Mack confirmed China is still the country’s top tourism source for 2025‑26, with 1.13 million trips and 29 % of visitor spend. The agency plans intensified Chinese‑focused marketing through social media and First Nations cultural experiences, forecasting significant incremental tourism revenue by 2028.
At a briefing in Sydney on Friday, Tourism Australia managing director Robin Mack confirmed that China remains Australia’s leading tourism market, citing strong growth and a positive outlook for people‑to‑people exchanges between the two nations.
Mack told Xinhua that China has been one of the agency’s most focused markets for the last several months, and that the country is expected to maintain that position in the years ahead.
Mack said, "In terms of the connection between the countries and the importance of China, it continues to be one of our leading markets. We project it to be one of our leading markets in years ahead."
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, China was the country’s second‑largest source of short‑term visitor arrivals in the 2025‑26 financial year, with 1,127,110 trips recorded, an 18.2 percent increase year‑on‑year.
Tourism Research Australia’s International Visitor Survey released for the year ending June 2026 reported that Chinese visitors not only remain the largest contributor to spend in Australia but also account for 29 percent of total spend during that period, amounting to 369 million Australian dollars (about 259 million U.S. dollars). Holiday spend by Chinese visitors was 369 million AUD, while visiting friends and relatives (VFR) spend stood at 121 million AUD.
Drawing on an L.E.K. Consulting forecast, Mack projected that Greater China could deliver the largest potential incremental expenditure for Australia’s tourism industry by 2028, underscoring the long‑term financial importance of the market.
In discussing marketing efforts, Mack highlighted that Tourism Australia has invested heavily in Chinese social media platforms such as Rednote, and has created a series of spotlight activities aimed at maintaining close proximity to Chinese consumers. He noted that more Chinese visitors are taking part in First Nations cultural experiences while in Australia, making China the third‑largest market behind the United Kingdom and the United States in that category.
Mack also shared that he travels to China at least twice a year in his role, and recalled a July visit with the Australian Prime Minister. He described that trip as an opportunity “to put a spotlight on tourism because I think it’s at the heart of people‑to‑people connections. Australians love going to China and the Chinese are coming to Australia. We just want that to grow both ways.”
Looking forward, Tourism Australia plans to continue investing further in Chinese‑focused marketing, with an emphasis on First Nations cultural experiences that align with Australian cultural values and opportunities for deeper engagement.
