Each year, European destinations welcome about 10 million Chinese visitors. But with growth rates falling and competition increasing, the need to understand the source market better has found greater resonance with European tourism operators. The European Union started the World Bridge Tourism (WBT) project last year, led by the European Tourism Commission (ETC), an association of 32 national tourism organizations, and the European Tourism Association (ETOA). The main result the survey found was that the Chinese image of Europe as a destination is a mix of old and new components. Chinese travelers are drawn to the image of the exotic and fairy tale-like Europe, characterized by castles, medieval city centers and different cultures with a long history.

Source: Forbes February 22, 2017 07:17 UTC