Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, Nov 11, 2014. [Photo/IC]

Chinese tourists in the past year reportedly spent A$7.7 billion ($5.6 billion) in Australia, an increase of more than three times the rate of overall spending by visitors.

According to a report in The Australian, spending by visitors from China rose 43 percent in the 12 months to September, while the number of tourists from China increased by one quarter.

The depreciation of the Australian dollar, which has made the country more affordable than before, has been cited as the main driving force behind the significant rise of Chinese spending. What is more, the number is so huge that it even exceeds the spending by the British, Americans and Canadians combined.

With the rise and expansion of China's middle class, outbound travel has become a trend among a good many of Chinese families, who usually choose overseas holiday destinations over domestic ones when making vacation choices. Australia, with its natural and cultural landscape, has emerged as one of the most popular resort places for Chinese tourists.

"The problem of time, distance and cost mean that Australia will never be a high volume destination," said John O'Sullivan, Tourism Research Australia managing director. "Our Tourism 2020 strategy is unashamedly focused upon yield: encouraging international visitors to stay longer, disperse further and ultimately do more and spend more while in our country."