Australia ranks just 17th on the list of the most popular international destinations for Chinese travellers despite our big push to attract them, according to new data from TripAdvisor.

Data based on page views recorded on daodao.com - TripAdvisor's official website in China - between September 2013 and September 2014 found Australia ranked behind several non-Asian long-haul destinations including the United States, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, the United Arab Emirates and Germany.

Almost 790,000 Chinese visitors travelled to Australia last year. Credit:Sahlan Hayes

The most popular destination searched by the lucrative Chinese tourists was Hong Kong, followed by the US in second place.

Earlier this week the US and China signed a deal that will allow tourists from either country to obtain 10-year visas, up from one year now. Chinese travellers to Australia can only obtain a visa for up to one year,