AustraliatolureChinesetravelerswithvirtualtourapp,streamlinedvisas

New "virtual tourism" technology for mobile devices, along with streamlined visa requirements, will greatly increase Chinese interest in visiting Australia, according to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Launching the technology in Shanghai, the Prime Minister said Chinese tourism was of immense importance to Australia, making an USD 8.3 billion contribution to the economy last year from more than 1 million visits.

He said the mobile application, which transports prospective tourists to Australia's most desirable locations, had been designed to work on China's 700 million smartphones.