Juneyao Air has celebrated the first anniversary of its direct Shanghai-Sydney route, which has welcomed more than 100,000 passengers since the inaugural service touched down in December 2024.
Destination NSW collaborated with Juneyao Air and Sydney Airport through the Aviation Attraction Fund to secure the service, which has raised seat capacity between mainland China and Sydney to the highest level ever.
The airline initially operated four direct services a week from Shanghai to Sydney, rising to daily during the 2025 lunar new year period.
Juneyao Air is the ninth mainland-based carrier to connect Sydney Airport with China, the highest number ever. Sydney Airport now offers the highest seat capacity between mainland China of any Australian airport.
Tourism Research Australia data shows NSW welcomed 504,000 Chinese visitors in the year ending June 2025, up 23.7 per cent year on year. These visitors spent 20.7 million nights in the state (up 23.9 per cent year on year) and injected $4653 million into the visitor economy (up 32.9 per cent year on year).
Almost 90 per cent per cent of visitors were not part of a tour group and 61 per cent were travelling alone.
Around 57 per cent of Chinese visitors to Australia visit NSW, with the average visitor spending $9232 during their trip.
Increasing numbers of younger Chinese travellers are being drawn to NSW by its natural and cultural assets, world-class events and opportunities to enjoy exceptional food and wine.
In the year ending June 2025, 15-34-year-olds were the largest age cohort travelling from China to NSW.
