Destination NSW will this week host a high profile delegation of Chinese Travel distributors based in Mainland China, to showcase NSW’s luxury experiences. CEO of Destination NSW, Sandra Chipchase said the visit is a significant market development opportunity for the NSW tourism industry.

“This six-day visit will give highly influential decision makers from China’s booming tourism industry the opportunity to experience, first-hand, some of the unique luxury lifestyle experiences on offer in Sydney and regional NSW.

“Whilst in NSW, the delegation will encounter world class luxury - from experiencing Sydney by seaplane and attending a spectacular performance of Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour; to wine tasting in the Hunter Valley; challenging themselves on some of our finest golf courses; and riding Harley Davidsons along the Grand Pacific Drive.

“The visit also supports our other recent successful initiatives to position Sydney and NSW as a number one destination in China’s luxury travel market, and follows the launch of the NSW Golf guide, the only NSW travel guide written specifically for Chinese golf enthusiasts,” Ms Chipchase said.

Ms Chipchase said the visit is part of Destination NSW’s long-term strategy to build partnerships with Chinese tourism leaders and increase visitation and expenditure from the Greater China market to NSW.

“Destination NSW has secured this delegation of Chinese tourism chiefs through its strong partnership with China Southern Airlines. The trade delegation is part of our proactive strategy to build networks in China to grow and sustain inbound tourism.

“Destination NSW is working to further grow solid trade partnerships both in market and here in Australia to ensure NSW is an international destination of choice to luxury travellers - a key segment of the growing Chinese visitor market,” Ms Chipchase said.

The International Visitor Survey results for the year ending December 2011 showed that visitor numbers to NSW from Mainland China continue to grow steadily, with 302,752 visitors coming to NSW, an increase of nearly eight per cent on the previous year. It is estimated that these visitors spent a total of $1.2 billion in NSW, an increase of almost 10 per cent on the previous year.