INSTEAD of splashing the cash on promotions to woo the Chinese outbound market, Spain’s tourism minister has urged the country’s tourism players to adapt their products to better appeal to Chinese preferences.
Speaking at World Tourism Day in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria last week, the Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Borrego, said that while China was now the third largest outbound market in the world, Spain still lacked an adequate range of tourism products to meet its demands.
Borrego advised local tourism industry stakeholders to learn more about the profile of Chinese tourists and their individual needs, and to adapt their products and services accordingly.
Inbound tourism from China is likely to see a boost in the near future with the easing of visa procedures – already kickstarted following a recent visit to China by Industry, Energy & Tourism minister, José Manuela Soria.
While there, Soria signed agreements with local tour operators to introduce Spain’s new visa system. Called Visatur, the system has made visas to Spain available through three cities in China, and is similar to the one launched for the Russian market.
The new system has already boosted Russian tourist numbers to Spain by 47 per cent this year so far, Borrego revealed.
