GOLD COAST – The tourism industry may be reeling from a softening inbound market, but that hasn’t stopped one source market, China, from bucking the trend and putting some “bull†back into the bear market.
To mark the start of the week-long Chinese New Year holiday period, Dreamworld welcomed almost 600 Chinese visitors to experience some of Australia’s ‘must-do’ activities: cuddle a koala, catch a sheep shearing show and get up close and personal with iconic native animals; all delivered in Mandarin language.
The activities are part of a Chinese New Year holiday celebration that also includes a meet and greet by a Mandarin-speaking guide, a film about Australian animals in the Imax theatre, a live Australian animal presentation and a Chinese banquet.
Dreamworld’s International sales manager, Erin Rolfe said that after several years of conducting sales visits to China, the dividends are paying with the 2009 New Year figures tracking really well.
“2009 is the Year of the Ox and it seems the Chinese market is living up to its zodiac sign and forging ahead,†she said.
“January 26 is the beginning of the biggest week for us where we get hundreds and hundreds of Chinese tourists through our gates daily. If all goes according to plan, then this is going to be Dreamworld’s strongest Chinese New Year yet.
“Over the past four years, we have worked hard to attract the Chinese visitor. We’ve met with wholesalers, we’ve hired Chinese speaking team members, we’ve tweaked our product offering, and we’ve come up with a package that covers off the activities they told us they want.
Last year, China emerged to become Dreamworld’s largest international market after New Zealand, eclipsing Japan.
