Fact Sheet 58 - China: Approved Destination Status
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The Approved Destination Status (ADS) scheme facilitates the travel of organised tour groups from the People's Republic of China (PRC) to Australia.
The ADS scheme provides streamlined travel opportunities for Chinese tour groups, whilst ensuring that the integrity of Australia's visitor visa program is maintained.
Background
The ADS scheme is a bilateral tourism arrangement between the Chinese Government and the Australian Government – recognising the increasing interest in visiting Australia shown by Chinese people.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) manages the ADS scheme with the assistance of the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET) and Tourism Australia.
Australian agents
There are 53 Australian agents who have been approved by the Minister to participate in the ADS scheme. Special safeguards are in place to ensure visa holders comply with their visa conditions and that the Australian ADS agents help maintain the integrity of the scheme.
These include:
- ADS visa holders have to stay with their tour group; and are prevented from working or studying, or extending the length of their visa while in Australia
- a code of conduct, the ADS Code of Business Standards and Ethics, which agents must abide by and if they fail to meet the levels of professionalism required, they may be sanctioned
- DIAC monitoring of every tour group to make sure it departs Australia in accordance with its itinerary. If any member fails to abide by the visa conditions or leave Australia their agent must notify DIAC within 48 hours
- a separate DIAC sanction scheme which involves an assessment of each absconder incident. If an Australian or PRC agent has too many tourists abscond from ADS tours under their management, they may face suspension from the scheme.
Chinese agents
There are 83 Chinese travel agents participating in the ADS scheme. The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) regulates the operations of travel agents in China. DIAC has specific responsibility for the operations of the ADS scheme in China. Both DIAC and CNTA can impose sanctions on those who do not meet the required standards.
In December 2007 DIAC introduced the Poor Practice Sanctions Regime in response to concerns about poor administrative practices by many agents and some instances of fraudulent material being submitted with applications. Under the regime agents can face penalties, ranging from warnings to increased processing times to suspension from the scheme.
Statistics
The first ADS visitors arrived in Australia in August 1999. As of 30 June 2008, more than 400 400 ADS visa holders have visited Australia.
ADS visa grants have almost tripled over the past five program years.
In 2007-08, 94 503 people arrived on ADS visas compared with 81 495 in 2006-07 and 55 487 in 2005-06.
The ADS non-return rate for 2007-08 was 0.29 per cent compared to a global visitor non-return rate of 1.3 per cent.
More information
For further information about the ADS scheme, please contact the ADS mailbox in the Visitors Section.
Email: ads@immi.gov.au
Additional information about the ADS scheme can also be found on the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET) website.
See: www.ret.gov.au
Further information is available on the department's web site.
See: www.immi.gov.au
The department also operates a national telephone service inquiry line.
Telephone: 131 881
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm (recorded information available outside these hours) for the cost of a local call anywhere in Australia.
Fact Sheet 58. Produced by the National Communications Branch, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Canberra.
Revised 17 November 2008.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2008.