UK must promote luxury brands to lure Chinese, says Travelzoo boss
Travelzoo’s Asia boss Jason Yap has welcomed Government plans to make it easier for Chinese visitors to obtain visas, but he said more needed to be done to lure them to the UK.
Speaking after Home Secretary Theresa May announced plans for a joint visa system for the UK and other European nations, Hong Kong-based Yap said the UK also need to promote its luxury ‘brands’, including top educational institutions and fashion labels..
"The news that the UK will seek to streamline the visa process for Chinese visitors by introducing a joint visa application process is great news indeed," said Yap.
"Chinese visitors typically do a multi-country tour of Europe and the ‘must do’ destinations have long been France, Italy and Switzerland known as ‘the fa-ee-ray tour’.
"The UK has been off the hit list for some time now. This has been due to a number of factors, but there is no doubt that the simplicity of the Schengen visa for the rest of Europe has had a big impact. It will take some time to break down the tradition of the ‘fa-ee-ray’ and to lure visitors across the Channel."
Yap said that while France’s luxury brands like Chanel and Loius Vuitton attract Chinese visitors, the educational heritage of places such as Oxford, Cambridge and Eton also held huge appeal.
"The UK’s educational institutions are like a luxury brand in themselves," he said. "As the Chinese consumer’s tastes get more sophisticated, there is also a growing appreciation of both UK fashion superstars and up-and-coming designers such as Stella Mc Cartney, Anya Hindmarch, Gareth Pugh and Christopher Kane. More could be done to promote these valuable national treasures who represent the best the UK has to offer."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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