State on Chinese to-do list

BOBBY the Bear has propelled the Bridestowe Lavender Estate to a fourfold increase in visitors over the past decade, most coming from China.

Bridestowe general manager Robert Ravens says visitors to the estate near Nabowla in the North-East rose from 20,000 to 80,000 a year, with about 60 per cent from China.

Commsec Research reveals tourists to Australia increased 4 per cent last year with Chinese tourists up by 13 per cent to 1.3 million.

“Tourists from India were also up by 16.5 per cent to 302,900,” Commsec senior economist Ryan Felsman said.

“Chinese tourism to Tasmania has increased by around 40 per cent over the year to September according to Tourism Tasmania.”

In 2014 President Xi Jinping visited Tasmania for a brief but highly visible visit.

University of Tasmania Asia Institute Professor James Chin said President Xi and the “purple bear” had helped make Tasmania popular in China.

“They helped create a mindset with the middle class in China,” he said.

‘‘In China most people think of Tasmania as a separate country to Australia that is very pristine, green and fresh.”

Professor Chin said Bobby the Lavender Bear was so well known that he had been given a Chinese name.

He said the state’s tourism had also benefited because airline code sharing had cut down waiting time in airports.

“Chinese like to travel in groups and ... they do not like to waste time in transit.”