SHANGHAI Australia’s business events industry has increased its China presence with new staff representing Business Events Sydney (BESydney) and Melbourne Convention and Visitors’ Bureau (MCVB).
Shu Ping Chen has been appointed business development manager for BESydney and Jenny Yang as business development manager – China for MCVB. Both are based in Shanghai.
Chen has 10 years of tourism industry experience, having most recently worked with Experience Tours Australia, a division of the Australian Outbound Travel (AOT) group.
BESydney CEO Jon Hutchison said: “Asia is a key growth area for us, especially China where we have seen strong interest in Sydney for outbound corporate incentive groups. Since opening the BESydney office in Hong Kong in 2003, we have confirmed an estimated $373 million worth of business from Asia for Sydney, of which 77% originates from China.”
Yang was previously industry servicing manager – China for Tourism Australia, and has worked with San Francisco Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Singapore Tourism Board and Accor Hotels.
Sandra Chipchase, CEO of MCVB, said: “Chinese visitors spent 5.2 million visitor nights in Victoria in 2008-09, an increase of 30.9% over the previous year, and China is forecast to become Victoria’s largest tourism market in 2014."
Visit businesseventssydney.com.au and mcvb.com.au for details