Tourists from around the world, including Chinese, view the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, on Friday.Feng Yongbin/China Daily
Tourism is one of the continent’s pillar industries, so deepening tourism cooperation between China and Europe will help revitalize the continent’s economy.
According to statistics from travel agencies, tour products to Europe have been the best sellers since early 2023, after China eased restrictions on international travel in response to the pandemic.
Traditionally popular European destinations such as France, Spain and Greece remain top choices for Chinese travelers, while “niche” destinations such as Serbia and Montenegro are also becoming trendy.
“Some European destinations, such as Athens, Berlin, Milan and Zurich, have recently seen a spike in searches on our platform,” said online travel agency Kunar.
For example, from April 22nd to 28th, searches for tours to Athens almost tripled compared to the previous week, and searches for Berlin-related products almost quadrupled.
Qi Chunguang, deputy director of Tuniu City, said destinations in Central and Eastern Europe are also attracting more Chinese tourists due to lower costs and more friendly visa policies.
He said, “A consecutive trip to Austria, the Czech Republic and Hungary typically costs between 25,000 yuan ($3,500) and 30,000 yuan per person in the summer, while a trip to the UK and Ireland costs between 25,000 yuan ($3,500) and 30,000 yuan per person in the summer. It costs nearly 40,000 yuan.” “Additionally, the addition of direct flights from China to Eastern European destinations and a more convenient visa application process will make Central and Eastern Europe even more attractive.”
Tourism industry insiders said Europe would be happy to welcome more Chinese tourists, who would help energize the continent’s economy and boost tourism-related jobs.
According to Statista, a data analytics company founded in Hamburg, Germany, the total contribution of travel and tourism to Europe’s GDP in 2019, the year before the pandemic hit, was about $2.1 trillion, but by 2022 it will be around $1. It has fallen to $900 billion.
Travel and tourism make up a large share of some European economies. For example, according to Statista, 24.8% of Croatia’s GDP in 2019 came from travel and tourism.
Sandra Calvao, director of tourism market intelligence and competitiveness at the World Tourism Organization, said in a recent interview with People’s Daily that China’s tourism market is He said recovery is key to the development of Europe’s tourism industry.
Eduardo Santander, director general of the European Travel Council, told People’s Daily that European destinations are taking steps to attract Chinese travelers, including deepening cooperation with Chinese airlines and holding tourism exhibitions in China. He said he has made great efforts to attract the country.
He said that before the pandemic, China was the second largest source of travelers to Europe, and he expected the number of Chinese travelers to Europe to increase this year.
