Melbourne woos Chinese tourists

It's been a tough year for the Australian tourism industry due to shrinking global demand. Authorities have forecast significant drops in revenues in 2009. But Melbourne is proving an exception. The local industry is going all out to bring in Chinese tourists.

A very big pie. China's outbound tourism has maintained double-digit growth during the global financial crisis. And the pie is getting bigger. As tourism demand is expected to shrink this year worldwide, the lucrative Chinese market now becomes more important than ever. And Melbourne wants a slice.

Visitor orientation programs are tailored to Chinese tourists' needs.

Here at the Melbourne Airport, Chinese visitors account for 11% of all the international passengers and the volume has been growing even amid the global financial crisis. To meet the booming demand, tourism insiders in the city have worked out special measures catering to the Chinese tourists. And all that starts from the language.

Chris Woodruff, CEO of Melbourne Airport said "We got two parts of programs now that are implementing. The first is to make all announcements in mandarin. The other is to put Chinese signs. But the most important thing is to give staff advice about Chinese culture."

And it doesn't end at the airport. Chinese is also seen at scenic spots in Melbourne. It's brochures on walls, on signs and even spoken by people.

And at one of the most famous spots -- Sovereign Hill, Chinese tour guides have been introduced. Tourists are buying it.

One Chinese tourist said "Here, I don't have the kind of feeling that I'm far away out of China. It's much more convenient to travel around. I even saw a Chinese tour guide. That's really nice."

One Chinese tourist said "Not all Chinese tourists like us understand English very well. These Chinese signs are very considerate. The Chinese tour guide and Chinese map also provide a lot of convenience."

Industry insiders are also seeking cooperation with Chinese airlines to open more direct routes.