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Australia-China Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China (hereafter referred to as the "Participants" or individually as the "Participant");

Acknowledging the success of cooperation established through the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Tourism Cooperation, the 2006 Memorandum of Understanding relating to the China Approved Destination Status (hereafter referred to as ADS) scheme and the 1999 Exchange of Letters that established an Arrangement for the purposes of the ADS scheme;

Recognising the complementary nature of our two nations' tourism sectors and the positive economic and social impact of cooperation and of enhanced people-to-people links; and

Reflecting the desire to continue long term cooperation in tourism, based on mutual respect and benefit, as set forth under this Memorandum of Understanding (hereafter referred to as the MoU), the Participants have reached the following understandings:

1. Areas of cooperation

Areas of tourism cooperation may include, but not be limited to, the following:

  1. Continuation of the ADS scheme – The Participants recognise that the ADS scheme will continue to be of value to travellers and acknowledge the fundamental importance of building on this cooperation to provide a quality experience for travellers;
  2. Broader tourism industry cooperation – Collaboration to support the development of broader market segments such as independent travel, study tourism, business travel, and incentive travel;
  3. Marketing – The Participants will encourage deepening cooperation between the tourism industries of Australia and China and jointly develop the potential of the two-way tourism market; and
  4. Tourism industry supply-side development – The Participants attach great importance to cooperating on supply-side affairs in their respective tourism industries.

2. Cooperation activities

Activities of cooperation may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Continuing to implement the ADS scheme and developing opportunities for cooperation and collaboration to provide high quality experiences;
  2. Continuing to support visitors from either country who travel independently through promotion of both countries as a destination through mutually decided discussions and activities and industry development activities with outbound agents to develop and promote leisure travel products in-market;
  3. Tourism cooperation between industry and governments in both countries;
  4. Providing efficient and effective visa arrangements for travellers to both countries;
  5. Supporting the consumer rights of travellers while they are in each country through promoting consumer protection;
  6. Sharing marketing expertise and research to increase visitation levels and consumer satisfaction; and
    1. Other forms of cooperation in tourism and related fields as mutually determined by the Participants. This will include but not be limited to:
    2. meetings or official dialogues on mutually determined topics; and exploring opportunities to work together at all levels.

3. Implementing and reporting mechanisms

Implementation of activities under this MoU will be led by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and Tourism Australia (agencies within the Foreign Affairs and Trade Portfolio), and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China along with its subordinate agencies.

The Participants will maintain regular interaction and information exchange and will consult regularly on activities under this MoU. This will include, but not be limited to:

  1. Ministerial meetings, as opportunities arise;
  2. An Australia-China Tourism Dialogue at the senior officials' level held on a biennial basis (every second year) unless otherwise jointly determined by the Participants; and
  3. Cooperating to support shared interests in international, regional and multilateral fora.

Participants mutually decide that designated representatives will gather relevant authorities and interested personnel of relevant organisations, institutions, associations, and enterprises to attend and to present (where appropriate) at the Australia-China Tourism Dialogue.

4. Confidentiality

Any information exchanged under this MoU and identified by either Participant as confidential will be used only by the Participants and solely for the purposes of this MoU. That information will be kept confidential and will be protected with the same confidentiality level as similar kinds of information, as provided for under internal legislation of Australia and China.

5. Internal laws and agreements

This MoU does not affect the rights or obligations of the Participants under the laws and regulations of Australia and China or any agreements to which Australia or China is party.

6. Amendments

This MoU may be amended by the mutual written decision of the Participants.

7. Duration and termination

This MoU will come into effect on the date it has been signed on behalf of the Participants and will remain in effect for a period of five (5) years. The MoU will be automatically renewed unless a new MoU is signed by the Participants or, either Participant gives written notice to the other Participant at least six (6) months in advance of the intention to terminate this MoU.

Either Participant may terminate this MoU by giving written notice to the other Participant. In that event, the MoU will cease to have effect six (6) months after the date of receipt of such notice.

The termination of this MoU will not affect the validity or implementation of any project, program or activity between the Participants under this MoU, which has been started before the date of termination.

8. Financial arrangements

Each Participant will bear their own costs incurred in the course of meeting the objectives of this MoU.

9. Resolution of difficulties

Participants will consult, upon request of either Participant, regarding any matter related to the terms of this MoU, and will endeavour jointly, in a spirit of cooperation and mutual trust, to resolve any difficulties or misunderstandings that may arise.

Signed in Beijing, China on the 13 of July 2025, in duplicate in the English and Chinese languages, both texts being equally valid.

 

For the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia

For the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China

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