The Diplomat
Madrid will host the Spain-China Tourism Cooperation Dialogue on July 3, a meeting organized by the Spanish Tourism Institute (Turespaña) and the World Tourism Alliance (WTA) with the support of the Ministries of Tourism of both countries, and which was announced on March 31 by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, during his official visit to Beijing to meet with President Xi Jinping.
As reported by Turespaña, the celebration of this Dialogue is part of the Spain-China Dual Year of Tourism Culture and the 50th anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations. “The event will serve for the exchange of various tourism actions between the two countries and will contribute to making Spain the destination of choice for many Chinese tourists,” he added.
The Spain-China Tourism Cooperation Dialogue will be attended by more than 150 representatives from the tourism sector of both countries. During the meeting, different panels will be held to analyze trends, opportunities and challenges in the Chinese and European tourism markets following the reopening of borders after the latest waves of COVID-19 in the Asian country.
On the other hand, Turespaña has organized a business meeting in which 25 Chinese buyers and tour operators will meet with 25 Spanish companies that will present Spain’s varied tourism offer, especially focused on the hotel, transport and DMC (Destination Management Company) sectors, as well as the premium and luxury segment.
The Chinese participants in the forum and the business day will have the opportunity to visit emblematic places in the city of Madrid and, after this day, they will be able to visit other Spanish destinations such as Andalusia, Barcelona, Valencia or Toledo. In 2019 (just before the pandemic), 700,000 Chinese tourists visited Spain. The Chinese traveler makes the highest expenditure per person, 2,400 euros, and the longest average stay, of approximately eight days.
During the press conference following his meeting with Xi in Beijing, Pedro Sánchez announced the interest of the two countries in boosting tourism to coincide with “the Dual Year of Culture and Tourism Spain-China”. For this reason, in addition to meeting with representatives of Chinese tour operators interested in the Spanish tourism offer, the President of the Government announced the convening, “this year”, of “a new edition of the Spain-China Tourism Forum, to be held in Spain” and which is expected to “take place during the month of July”, although he could not advance any specific date. Sánchez also expressed his desire to “recover soon” and even surpass the figures of Chinese tourists prior to the pandemic and assured that the Government “is making every effort to facilitate the issuance of the corresponding visas to Chinese tourists”.
