In a joint media release that was sent by Andrew Robb, Trade and Investment Minister and Scott Morrison, Immigration and Border Protection Minister, it was stated that the increased compliance with the multiple entry visitor visa norms would be an asset to the tourism sector as well as to the Chinese business visitors.
Mr. Andrew Robb also said in the release that the flexibility offered by the multiple entry visas would bring financial benefits to the tourism department. This generally includes hotels, restaurants, airlines, sectors related to business events, and all the remaining sectors that are rendering their services to the visitors of China.
He also stated that from here on, the Chinese business visitors are eligible to fill the applications for an Australian multiple entry visitor visas for a period of three years. This norm it is hoped, will ensure that more visitors will make regular visits to Australia. If this happens as expected, it would be a great pleasure for the tourism department to welcome the business visitors of China, the statement added.
Following this, the government has decided to allocate more capacity of seats to Chinese airlines to cope with the increased demand that the airlines experience, typically during New Year event of China.
Mr. Robb has expressed the hope that the proposed changes as regards the multiple entry visitor visas will be a great support to the government, which is anxiously waiting to have increased business ties with China.
As per statistics, the Chinese investments have grown to 23 billion Australian Dollars, which is an 8-fold increase in the investments made during the period 2002-2012.
Scott Morrison has also said that China is one of the best sources of visitors who come on a business trip. During the first quarter of 2013-2014, they represented 18.5% of all the applications that they received in the stream of business visitors.
Mr. Morrison said that for the celebrations of the Chinese New Year which are expected to come up in the near future, the number of visa applications of the Chinese nationals has already reached more than eighty thousand (80,000) in Australia’s visa offices in China.
