The “Welcome Chinese certification” lands in Italy, first among the European countries to receive it.
The first official qualifier for tourism businesses and transportation-oriented Chinese customers, with parameters and services for the China market has been officially granted to Italy.
The important recognition has been communicated by the President China Tourist Academy Mr Dai-Bin at the presence of the Chinese Ambassador for Italy Mr. Li Ruiyu at the International Media headquarters in Rome.
Dai Bin, president of China Tourism Academy, disbursing agency certification - said that "through collaboration with hotels, restaurants, carriers, airports and shopping malls, we intend to offer to tourists Chinese a better travel experience, with reception and care oriented to their needs.
A sort of "quality seal" that will have fixed costs for businesses: the level of 4 thousand euro annual Golden Bronze level 2 thousand euro, and half the cost for subsequent years.
The stakes are very high: according to the same CTA, since 2012 China has become the nation with the largest volume of tourist expenditure in the world, with 88.2 million outbound tourists and an annual expenditure of $ 102 billion. It is expected that in 2013-2014 the volume of Chinese travelers will touch 95 million units. The WTO itself has estimated that by 2020 it will record over 130 million outbound departures from China, with a share of 22% of the total tourist expenditure in the world.
Italy a favorite destination for Chinese tourists
Jacopo Sertoli, CEO of Select Holding and Chairman of Welcome Chinese, said: "We chose Italy as the first country in Europe for this certification because it is the destination of choice for Chinese travelers, and also because in less than a year will open the 'Expo 2015, where China is the country with the largest pavilion and the highest number of enterprises and foreign visitors expected during the event. "
On the importance of the Chinese market is then focused Andrea Babbi, Director General of ENIT, reminding that "in the past two years, the ENIT has made the greatest effort to oversee this market in the last year we have organized educational tour that involved over 70 Chinese tour operators, we met in China around 500 local tour operators and we organized travel for 150 Chinese journalists to visit Italy "
"In view of the Expo then - continued Babbi - we participated in three major tourism fairs in China, supporting operators and Italian hotel operators. Finally, we translated into Mandarin language our advertising campaign, with a total investment of € 4 and a half million, which, although addressed primarily to the European markets, has a value also for China. "
And among the first Italian companies that have joined the Chinese Welcome certification include the Fiumicino Airport (ADR), which basins of South-East Asia has welcomed last year some 1.3 million passengers, and of Italo NTV, with trains that offer services geared to the Chinese, thanks to dedicated displays and info in Chinese.
Complete willingness to share this host to the Chinese was also expressed by the President of Federalberghi, Bernabo Bocca: "In anticipation of a million Chinese who should arrive in our country for Expo 2015, this certification can be a first step towards qualification product of Italy depending on the market and a competitive plus compared to other European destinations. In fact, today more than ever we need to measure ourselves with the global market and tourism in non-European countries - which has produced a cost of $ 107 billion - of which China is the most important basin and certainly an area of great significance for 'Italian tourism industry. "
