Australia and China National Tourism Administration have reached an agreement allowing Chinese residents of all regions to tour to Australia.

Residents of nine Chinese regions are currently able to travel to Australia, including those from Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjian, Guangdong, Hebei, Shandong and Chongqing. The new agreement will cover 850 million Chinese citizens.

Vanstone said the new agreement will provide easier access for Chinese group travelers and enhance Sino-Australian friendship. China has already become the fastest inbound tourism market for Australia.

The number of Chinese travelers to Australia reached 251,300 last year, up 44% on the previous year.