Chinese investors dominate Australian hotel sector

Chinese investors and visitors have emerged as a dominant force in Australia’s hotel sector, according to Colliers International. Australian hotels have become increasingly appealing to China-based investors on a risk-adjusted returns basis and further supported by the push for expansion overseas and the signing of China Australia Free Trade Agreement in late 2015.

Since making tourism a national investment priority in 2013, Australia has seen record levels of international investment in tourism infrastructure, with more than $8 billion invested in the sector as offshore investors look to capitalize on the recent and projected strong growth in tourism.

And Chinese visitor numbers have grown more than 350 percent from 300,000 in 2009 to 1.1 million in 2016, with China expected to become Australia’s leading inbound market by the end of 2017. According to Tourism Research Australia, Chinese visitors are expected to total 3 million by 2025, with more than 80 percen