Patricia Yates, Director of Strategy and Communications at VisitBritainsaid: “Chinese tourists are already coming to Britain in record numbers and staying here longer than our European neighbours. Today’s welcome changes build on the already significant improvements introduced previously by the Home Office.
“Recent streamlining of the visa processing has made a big difference, with Chinese visitor spending up a record 64% to nearly half a billion pounds. VisitBritain has also recently launched a ‘GREAT China Welcome Charter’ – to make Britain the most welcoming destination in Europe – which has received huge support from the industry.”
Home office key VISA changes
· A new streamlined visa service is to be offered to all Chinese visitors to the UK.
· Now a more efficient system cutting down on paperwork and red tape will make it much easier for Chinese people to visit the UK and Europe on the same trip.
· And to add to this, the UK offer to Chinese visitors of a new 24-hour visa service will be launched in August.
· From the autumn, Chinese visitors will be able to use an Irish visitor visa to travel to the UK, without the need for a separate UK visa, and vice versa. The British Irish Visa Scheme will also be launched in India.
· Talks are also ongoing with European partners about further streamlining visa processes with Schengen arrangements to make trips to the UK even easier for Chinese visitors.
· Along with increasing alignment on the Schengen applications, a simpler, more user-friendly form for independent travellers will be launched on our new more integrated website. It features improved translation guidance on visa categories and how to apply. It has been designed for full integration on mobile and tablet platforms with a smarter form and more targeted questions translated into Chinese.
China 2013 figures
Record-breaking visits and spend
196,000 visits – an increase of 9.7% on 2012
Spending of £491.7m – up 63.8% on 2012
China average spend per visit in 2013: £2,508
Total average spend per visit across all markets in 2013: £640
VisitBritain will invest £2.5m in China in 2013/14. Tourism Australia will spend £20.5m
Where do they go?
Regional Spread: London accounts for 58% of all visits. Other popular destinations include Manchester, Edinburgh, Oxford, Glasgow and Cambridge. Two-fifths of holiday visits to Britain are part of multi-country tours.
Seasonal Spread: Three times as many holiday visits take place between July and September than at any other time of year.
Favourite Activities: Museums, castles, football matches, gardens, love of high end British products
Key Motivators: ‘Enjoy the beauty of the landscape’, ‘feel connected to nature’ and ‘have fun and laughter’.
Perceptions of Britain
When Chinese respondents were asked what adjectives they would use to describe a potential trip to Britain (Nations Brand Index):
‘Romantic’ – according to 24% of Chinese, compared to 18% of all respondents
‘Spiritual’ – according to 21% of Chinese, compared to 7% of all respondents
Britain is highly associated with museums, but the Chinese do not associate Britain with sport.
Amongst the BRIC markets, Chinese visitors rank third when it comes to propensity to shop: Brazilians (73%), Russians (68%) and Chinese (65%) all having a higher than average appetite for shopping.
Perceptions
2013 Nation Brand Index Results: what Chinese think about Britain
