Chinese become top australian visitors

China became Australia’s top inbound tourism market for the first time in February, data showed Tuesday, with Chinese New Year celebrations and international students driving a surge in arrivals.

Some 77,000 Chinese touched down in Australia in February, the statistics bureau said, beating New Zealand, Britain and the United States for the first time with a 30 percent jump compared with a year earlier.

The Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) said there had been almost 30,000 extra Chinese visitors this January and February due to growing international student numbers and Chinese New Year festivities. TTF chief John Lee said China had “incredible potential” for Australia, with a rising and increasingly wealthy middle class.

Source: AFP/Relaxnews