Chinese tourist mobilities and destination resilience : regional tourism perspectives

The exponential growth of Chinese inbound tourism to Australia has seen a commensurate increase in the presence of Chinese tourists in regional Australia. This exploratory study raises questions about the extent to which Australian destinations in general, and peripheral or regional areas in particular, are 'China ready', and why the vast majority of Chinese tourists tend to stay within capital city/gateway zones with only smaller numbers dispersing into regional Australia. This paper draws from the initial phase of a longitudinal study in the Great Ocean Road (GOR) region of southern Australia that examines Chinese tourists' perceptions of the region and their associated levels of satisfaction with their experience at the destination. In particular, the dissonance between Chinese tourists' expectations and their satisfaction levels is a key observation. The managerial implications of managing and marketing regional tourism to Chinese visitors are presented, and it is argued that the necessity to address and meet the demands of the Chinese tourist experience spectrum is pressing. The catch cry for tourist destinations to be 'China ready' resonates, and is especially pertinent for destinations beyond gateway cities where the tourism sector capacity tends to be constrained.