Tourism agreement could see Chinese influx
Numbers of Chinese tourists visiting Europe could grow rapidly once Brussels and Beijing sign a long-awaited agreement that will make group tours easier to operate.
According to the Financial Times, European Commission officials have stated that under the agreement, which should be signed on Thursday, Chinese visitors will be given “approved destination status” to EU states that are part of the Schengen cross-border travel agreement.
Chinese visitor numbers are already surging with the country’s new-found wealth; there were 645,000 Chinese visitors to Europe last year so the potential for more growth is enormous.
In fact, the number of Chinese who travel abroad has doubled in the last five years, to more than 16 million, but many have found it difficult to get the necessary visas in China because many country’s are not yet “approved”. In Germany, the only country to have been given approval in Beijing, which has made arranging package tours and issuing group visas easier, visitor numbers from China grew by some 12 per cent last year.
The Financial Times states that the agreement will be signed on Thursday by Chinese leaders, the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and the EC President Romano Prodi.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Skyscanner reveals major travel trends 2026 at ITB Asia
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists