Could Canberra finally have a direct air link with China? Photo: Cathay Pacific.
Boosting Chinese tourism to the ACT, including a direct air link to the national capital, is a key part of Chief Minister Andrew Barr’s trade mission this week to China, timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Beijing-Canberra sister city relationship.
The mission is being guided by the ACT’s International Engagement Strategy and T2030 Tourism Strategy, which aims to reach $5 billion in annual visitor expenditure by 2030.
China is Canberra’s largest international market, and Mr Barr believes there is considerable capacity for this to grow over the next decade.
Recent data shows 15 per cent of all international visitors to the ACT came from China, contributing 52 per cent of the total international visitor spend.
“The government recognises the value and potential growth that China presents to the Territory economy, particularly in tourism and education,” Mr Barr told the Legislative Assembly last week.
“China continues to be the number one international visitor market for the Territory, with nearly 29,000 visitors for the year ending in September 2024, contributing $322 million to our economy.”
Part of that growth would ideally include a Chinese airline opening a long hoped-for direct route to Canberra. Mr Barr will have meetings with Air China and Cathay Pacific, as well as hotel investors and operators, travel companies and tour operators.
Cathay Pacific is on Canberra Airport’s list of new carriers it hopes to secure as part of its five-year Route Development Plan launched last year, but it also has Shenzhen Airlines, a subsidiary of Air China, and China Southern, in its sights.
The Airport plans to triple the number of carriers flying into and out of Canberra to 13 and the number of destinations to 22 by 2027-28.
Mr Barr is accompanied by Commissioner for International Engagement Brendan Smyth and officials from Visit Canberra on the week-long mission, which Tourism Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Austrade are supporting.
The visit has been long planned around the sister city anniversary and features celebrations and a meeting with the Mayor of Beijing and Beijing Municipal Government representatives.
Then Chief Minister Kate Carnell signed the sister city agreement in September 2000, with Mr Barr calling it the cornerstone of the ACT’s relationship with China, aimed at strengthening cultural, business, tourism, trade and educational ties.
Mr Barr told the Assembly the government had marked the 25th anniversary so far with formal recognition at the Lunar New Year celebration and the opening ceremony of the Chinese cultural showcase at this year’s Multicultural Festival, alongside the Chinese ambassador.
The government was also working with the Chinese embassy on an event at Canberra’s Beijing Garden later this year and with the Beijing municipal government on other activities.
Mr Barr’s mission will also strengthen education partnerships, including an official visit to the Cunzhi Senior High School in Shanghai, which delivers the ACT Year 12 certificate through the Board of Senior Secondary Studies.
It is the first time an ACT mission has been to China since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The estimated cost of the Chief Minister’s component of the trade mission is under $15,000, met from the ACT Executive 2024-25 Budget. The final cost will be reported as part of the regular quarterly travel reports.
Mr Barr returns to Canberra on Tuesday.
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