Extra Perth flight from China to bump tourism

From mid-July, China Southern Airlines will fly direct to Perth four times a week as the state government aims to reach 100,000 Chinese visitors to Western Australia by 2020.

Tourism Minister Kim Hames said the extra service on the Guangzhou to Perth route would further increase the already impressive gains made in the Chinese tourism market since an agreement was signed with the airline in 2011.

There are currently three flights available to Perth through China Southern, and it is the only direct air service between Perth and China.

“Since that first flight, the number of Chinese visitors to Western Australia has increased by 63 per cent to 37,400 people,” Dr Hames said.

“Last financial year Chinese visitors spent $181 million in WA, making China our third biggest international tourism market in terms of visitor spend.”

He said China Southern would also introduce the new generation Boeing Dreamliner B787 on its Perth to Guangzhou service from April.

“One of our tourism goals for 2020 is to attract 100,000 Chinese visitors who contribute more than $500 million to the local economy, so agreements like this one with China Southern are an important part of that strategy,” Dr Hames said.

Tourism WA has been working with Perth Airport, Tourism Australia and China Southern to increase flight frequency and promote WA as a holiday and business travel destination.

Tourism contributed $8.3 billion to the local economy last financial year.

It provides 91,000 jobs in the state.