A new air services agreement announced yesterday between Australia and China means both countries’ airlines will be able to immediately operate up to 26,500 seats per week between Australia’s major gateway cities and Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism general manager Liz Price said the 18 per cent increase of extra seats will be a boon for the south-west.

“We are always trying to get to capacity,” she said.

“We are seeing a growth in the Chinese market. They have matured much quicker than other markets. They are on the road and self-drive and do self-tours.”

Ms Price said tourist dollars would be spent along the Great Ocean Road and beyond. 

“As they self-drive they are more inclined to stay over and make purchases along the way,” she said.

“We are always keen to get more people into Melbourne, not Sydney.” 

Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss said the new deal will allow Chinese airlines to almost triple their services to Australia over the next two years.

“Under the new arrangements a further 7000 weekly seats to and from these destinations will be phased in over the next two years, to a total of 33,500 weekly seats,” he said.

“Last year, 100 million Chinese travelled abroad and this is set to double to some 200 million by 2020. Tripling aviation capacity from China into Australia over the next two years will ensure we are well placed to capture our share of this growth.”

Mr Truss said that in 2013-14, nearly 760,000 Chinese travellers spent close to $5 billion in Australia.

“China is our most valuable tourism export market. This agreement — along with the launch of the recent pilot program for online visa applications by Chinese visitors — means our tourism sector is well primed for 2015.”