The Victorian government will invest A$8 million towards a tourism marketing campaign in China as part of a strategy to increase Chinese overnight visitor expenditure to A$18.2 billion in Gross State Product over the next 10 years, the state’s premier has told a business delegation in Melbourne.

Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu launched the state’s new tourism strategy, which aims to create more than 40,000 jobs by 2020, at the opening of Australia China Business Week on May 31.

Current Chinese overnight visitor expenditure in Victoria is forecast for 7 percent a year, but Mr Baillieu wants to see it grow to 11 per cent by 2020.

The Victoria China Tourism Strategy includes improving Victoria’s tourism offerings such as Chinese language services, building on the state’s strong education, migrant and business links, ensuring Chinese visitors enjoy a world-class experience and aligning tourism investment to the Chinese visitor market.

From June, Victoria will commence an $8 million tourism marketing campaign in China with the aim of attracting more Chinese visitors to Melbourne and Victoria. It is the state’s first major international consumer marketing campaign to be run in China.

“They are ambitious targets but we believe with the right policy framework, planning and working constructively with industry, they are achievable in what is an increasingly competitive market,” said Mr Baillieu.

The China visitor market is already Victoria’s most valuable international tourist market, generating $816 million last year.

On current growth rates, Victoria is expected to receive 500,000 Chinese overnight visitors by 2020 – almost double what it receives now.

Mr Baillieu said deepening links between the people, cultures and economies of Victoria and China were crucial to growing two-way trade.

“This growth presents extraordinary opportunities and challenges for Victoria’s tourism and related industries,” he said.

China became the largest source of international overnight visitors to Victoria in the year ending December 2011, overtaking New Zealand. ■