THE Chinese tourism juggernaut is anticipated to snowball into a $140 billion bonanza for the Australian economy within 10 years, as an emerging middle class ushers in a fresh wave of big-spending visitors, research has found. 
Business consultancy LEK Consulting's report How the China Tourism Boom is Transforming Australia highlights the value of spin-off trade from visitors, such as in education, property and business investment.
Favourable exchange rates and a rising level of affluence in China have seen tourist numbers jump on average 19"per cent over the past five years. But their visits are maturing from a day trip to the Gold Coast or down the Great Ocean Road into stronger ties.
Were just one in 10 visitors to follow through on their investment intentions, the value to Australia would hit $140 billion by 2025, the report found. That sum dwarfs the already healthy contribution from Chinese holiday-makers, and pins much of the new money on business and property ventures.
Already the nation's most valuable trading partner, China is starting to get a taste for Australia's high-quality food and education offerings, the report states, marking a shift from the traditional story of iron ore and coal exports.
And the Chinese have deep pockets, forking out an average of $5300 per visitor - significantly higher than countries with much higher indicators of personal wealth, such as Japan ($2472 per visitor) and the US ($2377).
Those putting themselves or a child through education are expected to fork out $50,000 annually on average in tuition fees and living expenses for the first two years.
Prospective property investors are averaging an outlay of $400,000 per person.The report projects that by 2025, more than two million Chinese visitors will come to Australia, but it points out that already 46 per cent of these are repeat visitors.