Get set for Asian tourist wave

THE Sunshine Coast is set to benefit from what could become a tidal wave of tourists from Asian countries including China, Japan, South Korea, India and Indonesia.

Speaking at a breakfast at Alex Surf Club yesterday, Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop said the tourism sector was struggling under the twin pressures of a high Australian dollar and a collapse in domestic consumer confidence that has translated into reduced spending on items such as holidays.

But Ms Bishop said she believed there was enormous potential for Australia to become an even bigger tourist destination because of our proximity to Asia, and unparalleled natural attractions.

"China and India will increasingly dominate tourism flows around South-East Asia and the Pacific," she said.

"It has been forecast that by 2020, Asia will have more middle-class consumers than the rest of the world combined."

Ms Bishop, also the Shadow Min-ister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, said analysts had identified that Chinese consumers were now responsible for more than 25% of global luxury goods sales, 13% of global car sales and were contributing to huge growth in tourism in the Asia-Pacific region.

After the breakfast, Ms Bishop visited Australia Zoo with Member for Fisher Peter Slipper where she discussed the recent expansion of the zoo with the Irwin family.

Source - sunshinecoastdaily.com.au