QLD: China a sleeping giant for tourism Gibbs

AAP General News (Australia)
08-18-1999
QLD: China a sleeping giant for tourism Gibbs

Queensland Tourism Minister BOB GIBBS says China is a sleeping giant in tourism potential
for his state, with the first wave of government-sanctioned tourists arriving on Friday.

Mr GIBBS will meet the 27-strong touring party who are the first Chinese tourists to arrive
since Australia was granted Approved Destination Status in April.

The decision means Australia is one of the few global destinations to which Chinese people
may travel as a tourist, previously being forced to travel on business or student visas.

Mr GIBBS said the Australian Tourism Commission predicted Queensland would receive at least
half of China's visitors to Australia by 2000, equating to more than 64,000 tourists.

The state goverment will spend $300,000 promoting Queensland to China and is looking at the
possibility of setting up a Tourism Queensland office in China.

AAP RTV ap/pjg/jn

KEYWORD: CHINESE QLD (BRISBANE)

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