Destination NSW, as part of its continuing promotional campaign in China, gave six journalists from a range of publications in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu a tour of the South Coast which included a cruise to inspect oyster farms on the Clyde River.

David Trebeck, chairman of Australia's Oyster Coast, which supplies the UOB, said the visitors were impressed with the pristine waters, the forests that form the estuary catchments, the beaches and other attractions of the region.

“From our viewpoint, the media tour is but one of many opportunities to give further exposure to the Australia's Oyster Coast Tourism Trail,” Mr Trebeck said.

“The objective is to provide greater encouragement for domestic and overseas visitors to visit the region, taste oysters, learn more about oyster growing, and generally savour the many delights that the region has to offer.

“People we speak to overseas, especially in China, tell us they want to know that our region is ‘famous’ in its home country, that way they will be more confident to order oysters from us.

“So what happens on the Tourism Trail, and the journalists who visit it, can have a definite, if perhaps indirect, flow on in terms of export orders for us.”

Mr Trebeck said the company's export program was gradually gaining traction “as more customers learn about us and we consolidate the supply chain, distribution arrangements and clarify pricing”.

The company was formed in 2013 by leading oyster growers from eight estuaries south of Sydney, and now boast over 40 growers as shareholders and a management team of business professionals.

The growers of Australia’s Oyster Coast produce three premium oyster species for export to select partner outlets and restaurants across Asia: the Sydney Rock Oyster, the Angasi Oyster and the Pacific Oyster.

A streamlined supply chain enabled live oysters to be delivered to Asia within 30 hours.