WELCOME CHINA

If a Martian should plan European and Italian economy, which area would focus on? No doubt tourism! With this metaphor last week the BIT in Milan pointed out the need to realize, and quickly, that our cultural heritage is one of the richest in the world and is one of the few areas where it is possible a significant recovery in a short time. The risks are not only a further deterioration of the economic situation and the problem of unemployment, but also the loss of the possibility of exploiting the wealth of our country.

It is clear that the largest "exporter" of tourists is China with an outflow of nearly 100 million people and expected to grow significantly by 2020. If it is true that about 95% of the Chinese prefer Asian destinations because closer and cheaper, it is also true that much of the remaining percentage opt for Europe. Low figures in terms of percentage, but extraordinary in terms of number of visitors: about 4.5 million tourists that Europe could intercept. Number becomes even more impressive when you consider the possible flow of Chinese already resident in other European countries.
 

To achieve these objectives, it is necessary to gain greater visibility in Chinese market in order to show our offer. We must also be aware of the fundamental elements of Chinese culture.  Learning for example that the Chinese don’t travel in Europe for fun, but with the aim to do business and to know more about Western countries. Travel in Europe is very expensive and it is considered as a status symbol. Recent surveys show that 9 out of 10 Chinese are not satisfied with the holidays they spent in China or abroad. This means that we could attract more visitors to Europe (the dissatisfied of China) and that we must realize that Chinese visitors are looking for something different than usual. The era of fully-organized tourism ended up. This kind of travel is perhaps reserved for the less affluent and less urbanized social classes. 

The Chinese visitor type is young, wealthy and in career: he wants to travel independently, to visit less places in more time and above all he wants to live extraordinary and unforgettable experiences like tasting wine and cooking with masterchefs.

Tourist operators must be able to plan travel of tourists who generally have a lot of money and little time. To attract visitors, it is necessary to have a good knowledge of this people and their culture. For example, we should consider that they have holydays and travel more in the period of Chinese New Year and the Feast of Lanterns (February). That many elderly couples come to Europe to celebrate their wedding anniversary and enjoy the honeymoon that in the past they couldn’t afford. That many Chinese tourists do not come to Europe for the first time and, although they can speak English, they like to find information in Chinese language. These are just some indications for  tourist operators.

Who are planning to improve reception services for Chinese can gain three Quality Labels recognized by China that will direct  tourists preferentially to structures that hold them.

These labels are: the Chinese Tourists Welcoming Training Programme that can be achieved as a result of a training course on the expectations and needs of Chinese tourists, the Chinese Tourists Welcoming Quality Label, with the objective of implementing sustainable services for Chinese public and the Chinese Tourists Welcoming City Label attesting that a town can welcome adequately Chinese tourists. The training courses and issue of Quality Labels are treated by COTRI (China Outbound Tourism Research Institute) which works in partnership with many companies both European and Chinese.

Rossana di Gennaro