Port Stephens Heads to China to Ramp Up Arrivals

Port Stephens

Port Stephens will field the largest delegation in regional NSW at a trade mission the State’s tourism industry is running in China this week as part of a campaign to capitalise on the booming Chinese travel market, now worth $1.2 billion to NSW each year.

Destination Port Stephens, Moonshadow Cruises, Port Stephens Four Wheel Drive and Newcastle Airport will represent Port Stephens at the China Mission from March 3-9 – the largest delegation of any NSW region outside Sydney.

Spearheaded by Destination NSW, the trade tour of China will see NSW tourism operators meet key travel industry representatives and wholesalers in Beijing and also Chengdu – one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.

China is now the second biggest visitor market for NSW after New Zealand, according to Destination NSW, with Chinese tourists spending a record 10.4 million nights and $1.2 billion in NSW last year, with Chinese visitor numbers projected to rise 78 per cent by 2021.

Destination Port Stephens Marketing Manager, Tars Bylhouwer, who is now in China with the trade mission, said the beachside destination, 2½ hours north of Sydney, had been targeting the Chinese market since 1998 when it was the only NSW region that foresaw China’s huge growth potential for the local travel industry.

“Our long-term efforts in China, where we are now regular visitors, are now paying off, with more Chinese travel representatives visiting Port Stephens to plan travel itineraries here and more Chinese tourists – both independent travellers and groups - also enjoying the dolphins, koalas, beaches, sand dunes and soft adventure activities that make our region so appealing to overseas visitors,” Mr Bylhouwer said.

“We will be leveraging our successful, ‘P.S. I Love You’ marketing campaign in China and promoting Port Stephens as a microcosm of all that overseas visitors love about Australia – spectacular scenery, great beaches, exciting wildlife and adventure.

“We are also keen to encourage more Chinese tourists to use Newcastle Airport, nestled in the heart of Port Stephens, on their itineraries as they travel around Australia, with direct flights available from Newcastle Airport to destinations such as Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Melbourne. In the longer term, we want to see Newcastle Airport become an international gateway.”