New deal set to bring more Chinese tourists to Australia

The Liberal-National Government through Tourism Australia and one of world's largest international airline carriers, China Eastern Airlines, have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding aimed at further growing travel between Australia and China.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham said aviation partnerships like this one were critical to bringing more travellers to Australia.

"Tourism Australia's new agreement with China Eastern Airlines will see the two partners work together across a range of marketing initiatives aimed at attracting high-value first time and repeat travellers to Australia from China over the next three years," Minister Birmingham said.

"We know how important airline partnerships are for not only delivering new routes and services but also inspiring Chinese travellers to come and experience our country's world-class natural beauty, food and wine and incredible wildlife."

"In the nearly 20 years that Australia has been marketing our country as a world-class destination for Chinese travellers, China has emerged as a powerhouse of tourism growth to become our number one market for visitors and spend.

"The more travellers we can lure to our shores, the more they spend in Australian businesses and contribute to the local economy."

The new three-year partnership between Tourism Australia and China Eastern Airlines comes into effect in January 2019. This is the third agreement between the two organisations since first formalising their partnership in 2012.

Based in Shanghai, China Eastern Airlines carried 110 million passengers in 2017, making it the seventh largest airline in the world in terms of passenger numbers.

China Eastern operates from five cities in China to three cities in Australia, delivering 35 flights per week. The airline currently has 16 per cent market share of the China-Australia market.