Australia does not seem to be performing very well on the important front of drawing visitors to its territories, especially when one compares the number of guests to the nation on Tourist Permits, vis-à-vis some other destinations, such as Canada and the UK, claims a new report. As per the Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) of Australia, visa restructurings could be crucial with a view to catch the attention of more visitors from the People’s Republic of China—a key source of visitors to Down Under.
Reportedly, new numbers clearly illustrate that the figure of the Chinese guests to Oz has headed north by 2.9% since the past year, i.e., 2013. But, during the identical time-frame, while the augmentation in the number of travelers to the US was 23%, for Canada (another rival of Australia in the matter of immigration); the same was as much as 30%. Given this, it’s apparent that Down Under is currently way behind its top competitors in the global race to draw visitors from across the world, adds the report.
Meanwhile, according to a concerned person, cutting down the expenses and the usual difficulties and intricacies of the Australian visa structure will significantly improve the situation, and make the nation’s competitiveness better, via doing away with a major hurdle to travel. At the present, a BIG marketing drive is in progress. And, it aims to prop-up and encourage visiting the many attractions of Oz to the possible visitors from China. Maybe, with a view to perk-up the number of visitors, it is primarily aimed to put together tour crowds in place of individual visitors.
Travel Permits
Allegedly, travelers from China could be somewhat discouraged by the $130 fee that they have to shell-out to get an Australian Travel Permit, together with the protracted and extended paper petition form, and, of course, the processing time extending to as many as 15-day. And, this is, perhaps, the reason why now they do not seem to be too attracted with Australia immigration, and making plans to make a trip to some other immigration hotspots–for instance, Canada, the UK, or for that matter, the US–as an alternative.
Allegedly, on the other hand, a possible sightseer from Britain, Hong Kong, or the US may just have to fill in a fast online form, and get an electronic permit for as low as $20. Besides, it’s an unambiguous sign that Canberra requires reorganization to make it much simpler for the travelers from China to land on the Aussie shores, it is asserted.
