Chinese tourists to grow by 10 to 15% this year in Catalonia

The region of Catalonia, located in the northeast of Spain and whose capital is the well-known city of Barcelona, is expected to receive between 10 percent and 15 percent more Chinese visitors in 2014, the Director of the Catalan Tourism Agency Xavier Espasa told Xinhua on Friday. Espasa explained that the Agency expected this increase in the number of Chinese visitors after this region received around 140,000 Chinese tourists in 2013. "Around 2 million Chinese tourists visit Europe, of which Spain receives 10 percent, 200,000 more or less. Catalonia receives around 70 percent of the 200,000", he explained. The Catalan Tourism Agency established a center to promote tourism in Beijing in 2006 and thanks to that, the number of Chinese tourists who chose Catalonia as their destination has significantly increased. The strategy consists of emphasizing especially the luxury sector and the MICE sector, which refers to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. There is also "an online course for Chinese intermediaries and agents so that they can know better our destination, Catalonia", Espasa said. The Director told Xinhua about the most promoted areas: "culture is promoted by the agency, but they are also focused on privilege tourism, Gaudi and Miro," he named as examples. Espasa said that "the Chinese market is important" and stressed the importance of events such as the Mobile World Congress (MWC) held in the city of Barcelona and the motor sport race Circuit de Catalunya, which is held near the city. "These events are important to the business world, as well as other events of the same kind," he said. Espasa took part on Friday in the opening of a Conference held in the International Tourism Show in Catalonia (SITC) that is being held from April 4 to 6 in the Mediterranean city. The conference, organized by the Catalan Tourism Agency, is a platform for companies and centers of tourism to exchange ideas on source markets. .