Government marketing body Tourism Australia declined to comment.
In addition, Chinese travelers often choose destinations where family members are studying abroad, Stolk added. China was Australia’s biggest source of foreign students until 2019, but students of other nationalities have filled its foreign student ranks since Australia reopened its border in 2021.
Some independent Chinese tourists in Australia told Reuters they were visiting because they had relatives in the country who arranged accommodation and tours, meaning they could bypass the language barrier and other issues. Johnny Nee, director at Easy Going Travel Services Pty Ltd in Perth, which connects Chinese visitors with hotels and cruises, said his partner organizations had filled the shortfall of Chinese tourists by catering to the domestic market.