When a group of 3,000 Chinese incentive delegates visits Adelaide this June, South Australia will receive its first Asian incentive group of this scale and an estimated A$11.2 million (US$8.58 million) boost to its visitor economy.
Perfect China, a company focusing on kitchenware and personal care products, will bring its top sales representatives to Adelaide in two groups on June 17-20 and June 24-27 – the third time it has chosen Australia for such a large group and its first time to Adelaide.
Over the coming months, an itinerary will be compiled by the Adelaide Convention Bureau working in conjunction with Perfect China’s agent in Shanghai. The itinerary will allow visitors to explore Adelaide at their leisure, potentially encouraging retail and hospitality spending.
According to the Adelaide Convention Bureau, incentive tourism presents a massive opportunity for South Australia and the State Government’s 2020 A$8 billion tourism target. Incentive visitor spend per day is up to nine times that of a leisure visitor and almost double the daily average spend of a conference visitor.
Commented Jay Weatherill, South Australian premier: “The State Government has invested an extra A$70 million into promoting South Australia… and the additional funding for our Major Events and Conferences Bid Funds has seen our visitor economy grow to a record $6.2 billion – which is up a staggering A$800 million on the previous year.
“Chinese visitors make up 10 per cent of South Australia’s international visits, but an amazing 25 per cent of international expenditure at just over $250 million.”
Business tourism incorporating incentive tours and business events is a high-yield segment for South Australia. In the last financial year, the Adelaide Convention Bureau won business worth A$210 million of economic benefit for the state, with visitation by over 50,000 delegates and 220,900 bed nights.
