Australian tourism operators are back on the ground in China this week as part of a major trade mission led by the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC), aimed at rebuilding crucial industry relationships with one of the country’s most important visitor markets.

The mission includes more than 20 leading Inbound Tour Operator (ITO) businesses with a strong China focus. A full week of business meetings and networking events is underway across Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, where Chinese travel distributors have shown strong enthusiasm to reconnect with Australian product.

The first day of meetings took place at the St. Regis Hotel in Shanghai, bringing together Australian ITOs and a broad mix of Chinese travel trade partners for the first time in several years.

The initiative is supported by the Australian Government’s Reviving International Tourism Grant (RITG) program, which has enabled ITOs to re-establish their international networks and rebuild trade relationships in key markets.

“There’s been an incredible level of enthusiasm from our Chinese agents today,” said ATEC Managing Director Peter Shelley. “The energy in the room reflects a real appetite to reconnect and grow Chinese inbound travel to Australia once again.”

Shelley emphasised that while the RITG program has been instrumental, rebuilding the China inbound market requires long-term investment and consistent support.

“The slow and cautious rebound in Chinese visitation highlights the importance of sustained support for ITOs, in line with ATEC’s policy platform, which calls for dedicated programs to rebuild distribution channels and drive future demand,” he said.

Across the mission, participating ITOs will conduct more than 200 meetings with Chinese agent representatives, reinforcing their presence in-market and working to reinvigorate travel flows. Before the pandemic, China was Australia’s largest and most valuable inbound tourism market, contributing more than $12 billion annually to the national economy.

ATEC is delivering the mission in collaboration with The Gaibo Agency, whose local expertise is supporting the program’s rollout in China.