AFL match in Shanghai aims to hit the mark with Chinese travellers
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The South Australian Tourism Commission and Tourism and Events Queensland are also contributing to the sponsorship which will see AFL teams Port Adelaide and the Gold Coast Suns play on Sunday 14 May at Jiangwan Stadium.
“The South Australian Tourism Commission is proud to be working in partnership with Tourism Australia on such a landmark event for Australian Rules Football,” said Rodney Harrex, Chief Executive of the South Australian Tourism Commission.
It’s great that a South Australian football team is involved in the inaugural match in China that will give us the opportunity to showcase Adelaide as a tourism destination to a new Chinese audience.
“With the latest strong increases in air access between Adelaide and China, there has never been a better time for cultural exchange between our regions,” he said.
AFL General Manager Football Operations Mark Evans said this was the first time the AFL will play a Toyota AFL Premiership Season match outside Australia and New Zealand.
“I’d like to thank Tourism Australia, our Official Tourism Partner, for joining us in showcasing Australia’s Game on such an exciting and vibrant world stage that is Shanghai,” he said.
The Round 8 match between the Gold Coast SUNS and the Port Adelaide Football Club will be broadcast on free-to-air Chinese television, reaching over 10 million viewers.
The Tourism Australia brand will be displayed on the back of both club guernseys on match day, on the playing surface and through signage within Jiangwan Stadium.
Fans in Australia wishing to travel to Shanghai for the Round 8 Toyota AFL Premiership Season match can register their interest via www.shanghai2017.com.
China delivered 1.17 million visitors to Australia in the 12 months to September 2016, with expenditure reaching $9.1 billion.
The China-Australia Year of Tourism celebrates the close relationship between the two countries and recognises the importance of the China market for Australia’s tourism industry.
The launch event for the Year of Tourism was hosted by the China National Tourism Academy (CNTA) on 5 February 2017 in Sydney.
