The head of the UK's national tourism agency has emphasized the crucial role that Chinese travelers will play in boosting Britain's economic recovery and long-term growth, amid expectations of increased exchanges between the two sides after China introduced a visa-waiver for British passport holders.
Patricia Yates, chief executive officer of VisitBritain and VisitEngland, highlighted the agency's projections of increased Chinese visitor numbers in the coming months, and outlined ongoing efforts to welcome more tourists from China in the coming years.
"Tourism numbers to Britain we're predicting will be quite strong this year. So, China back in our top ten markets worth about 1.2 billion pounds to the economy. But that's really the start of a period of growth working through to 2030 with [a market value of] 2.2 billion pounds, a million Chinese visitors coming to Britain. So, I think to see that growth coming back from China is really important that Chinese visitors feel welcome and realize that Britain welcomes them," she said in an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) in London.
This optimism is grounded in targeted efforts to attract Chinese travelers by promoting Britain's unique cultural appeal, with Yates saying the country is positioning itself to offer a bigger array of experiences tailored to Chinese tourists' preferences, ensuring they feel valued and eager to visit.
"We work to make sure that we're promoting premium products in China. So, I think Britain's really good at some of those quirky products that we can talk about. We know that Chinese visitors want great experiences and we can offer that. A small country with very good regional experiences that Chinese visitors can go to. So yes, it's a competitive market, but Britain has great culture, heritage, modern history as well. And a wealth of experiences for Chinese visitors to come to," said the CEO.
Ties and exchanges between the UK and China were given a major boost after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's four-day official visit to China in January, which marked the first trip by a UK prime minister to the country in eight years.
Starmer's trip saw the two sides pledging to strengthen bilateral ties and one of the most fruitful outcomes was the announcement that China would introduce a unilateral visa-free policy for UK nationals. The measure, which officially came into force on Tuesday, allows eligible passport holders to stay for up to 30 days for various purposes, and will be effective through December 31.
Yates believes this welcome step will greatly promote tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
"People have a curiosity about traveling to China. And I think to make it easy and to showcase again that people will feel welcome if they go to China, will encourage people to take a chance and go and see what China is really like," she said.
VisitBritain CEO stresses significance of Chinese tourists for UK economy
