Asian tourists have spearheaded double-digit growth in international visitations to Queensland, with a 13 per cent increase in the year to September 2016, leading Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to urge Queenslanders to learn Chinese.
Of the 2.55 million international visitors to Queensland, 485,000 were from China - an increase of 33.5 per cent in a year - making it the state's largest international source market.
![There was a 13 per cent increase in Queensland's international arrivals in the year to September 2017.](/web/20170203235555im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/s/x/5/8/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gu5blo.png/1486163528252.jpg)
Tourism and Events Queensland data showed Chinese expenditure in Queensland grew 24.1 per cent to $1.1 billion in the year ending September 2016.
Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland needed to be better equipped to welcome Chinese visitors.
![The Gold Coast was the most popular Queensland destination for visitors from China and New Zealand for the year.](/web/20170203235555im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/k/a/m/u/f/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.gu5blo.png/1486163528252.jpg)
"Our proximity to Asia, and the rise of the middle class in China, means that there are going to be more and more Chinese visitors coming here," she told a Capricornia Chamber of Commerce meeting during a visit to central Queensland this week.
"Yes, they are initially starting off in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Cairns, but they will find your region and they will love it and what I'm saying to all the councils is you need to start getting ready now.
"You need to start putting out the hand of friendship, you need to start training people in the language, the Chinese people want good food, seafood, good wine and I know that this region can deliver it."
All up, 1.78 million of the 2.55 million international visitors to Queensland were holidaymakers – an increase of 17 per cent.
Almost half the visitors to Queensland – 1.14 million – were from Asia, with New Zealand the state's second-most sizable market, with 435,000 visitors.
The Gold Coast was the most popular destination for visitors from China and New Zealand, while Brisbane was at the top of the list for visitors from the United Kingdom and mainland Europe.
Japanese and North American visitors, meanwhile, gravitated towards tropical north Queensland, according to the latest TEQ data.
It showed an increase in both domestic (9.3 per cent) and international (11.7 per cent) visitors to the sunshine state.
"International overnight visitor expenditure for Queensland continued recent solid growth with an increase of 10.6 per cent to a record of $5.2 billion, for the year ending September 2016," TEQ's International Tourism Snapshot showed.
"The number of international visitors Queensland also reached record highs with 13.1 per cent growth to 2.55 million visitors.
"Many of the state's key source markets achieved double digit growth."
Overall, Chinese visitation to Queensland increased 33.5 per cent to 485,000, followed by New Zealanders (up 1.4 per cent to 435,000), mainland Europeans (up 0.6 per cent to 300,000), North Americans (up 18.6 per cent to 280,000) and Japanese (up 24.4 per cent to 194,000).
Chinese visitation to the Gold Coast increased 38.4 per cent to 295,000, Brisbane by 29.9 per cent (221,000) and tropical north Queensland by 32.2 per cent (219,000).
There was a 4.3 per cent increase in UK travellers to Brisbane (125,000), while visitors from the European mainland increased 5.7 per cent to 181,000.
Domestically, overnight expenditure from inter- and intrastate guests increased 3.4 per cent to a record $14.7 billion.
Interstate visitors increased 9.3 per cent to 6.12 million, but it was Queensland's internal travellers that were responsible to the lion's share of visitations.
Fourteen of Queensland's top 20 international markets recorded increased overnight visitor expenditure, including China (24 per cent), Japan (23 per cent), the United States (20 per cent), New Zealand (11 per cent) and Germany (7 per cent).
The TEQ showed record numbers of both international and domestic visitors to Brisbane.
The 295,000 Chinese visitors to the Gold Coast spent a total of 1.6 million nights on the Gold Coast, a year-on-year increase of 61.5 per cent.
TEQ chief executive Leanne Coddington said most regions regions saw strong increases.
"The Gold Coast, tropical north Queensland, Brisbane and the Whitsundays had the most international tourists in history visit their destinations and the amazing experiences they have," she said.
"Each of those destinations also had the highest expenditure on record which is great news for the operators and industry who provide the product for travellers to enjoy."
The 5.82 million domestic overnight visitors to Brisbane spent $3.42 billion, while the 1.18 million international overnight visitors spent $1.98 billion.
Tourism Minister Kate Jones said: "This substantial growth again shows just how vital tourism is in Queensland."
- with Felicity Caldwell
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