China Southern Airlines is betting on a boom of China tourists going to Australia and is increasing its flights there by 400%. China Southern president Tan Wangeng said there is a need to expand flights to Australia due to the rapid growth of China’s middle class and confidence in the stability of Australia-China relations under the Gillard government. In an interview with the Australian Melbourne newspaper The Age, Tan said, ”Why Australia? Australia is well endowed with tourism resources, the climate is different to China and the people of Australia and China are friendly without any conflict.” Sydney Morning Herald reports China Southern now runs three flights a week out of Guangzhou to Melbourne and daily flights to Sydney, giving it a greater market share than its two Chinese competitors combined.
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