CHINA: Chinese Tour Operators Visit Europe

As part of the EU-China Tourism Year, major TO's from across China were hosted in Europe on a fam tour this month.

The European Travel Commission (ETC), the European association of National Tourism Boards, in partnership with the European Tourism Association (ETOA) and several European destinations, hosted the first pan-European familiarisation trip to foster inbound tourism to the European Union from China on the occasion of the EU-China Tourism Year (ECTY).

From 8 March to 15 March 2018, 70 qualified tour operators from first and second tier cities across China -including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Jinan, Chongqing, Chengdu, Tianjin, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Wuhan, Nanjing and Xiamen- had the opportunity to experience European destinations through and beyond its famous gateway cities.

The Chinese tour operators organised into seven clusters that followed simultaneously different transnational itineraries based on their singular interests and product portfolio.

These destination clusters included fifteen countries in the macro-regions of the Adriatic, the Balkans, the Baltic, Benelux and Central Europe.

The itineraries included visits to landmark cities, cultural and natural attractions and meetings with local business as well as experiences at lesser-known destinations that are easily accessed from those traditional gateways.

The programme commenced with the Partnerships in European Tourism (PET) conference and B2B workshop between tourism-related European companies and Chinese operators hosted by ETC, ETOA and the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association (ECTAA) in Berlin on 6 and 7 March.

Both initiatives the pan-European FAM trips and the Partnerships in European Tourism are part of the programme of activities prepared by the European Commission during the EU-China Tourism Year.

The ECTY aims to promote the European Union as a travel destination in China, provide opportunities to increase bilateral cooperation as well as mutual understanding and create an incentive to make progress on market opening and visa facilitation.

China is the world’s largest travel market in terms of both outbound travel and expenditure. European destinations have strengthened their position in this market, attaining 13.4 million Chinese arrivals in 2017, accounting for a share of 14% of all outbound travel from China.


Tourism Observer

World Tourism Organization And European Travel Commission Discuss Crisis Communications In Tourism

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the European Travel Commission (ETC) have co-organized a working session with European countries to discuss crisis communications in tourism. The event was held at UNWTO headquarters in Madrid.

One of the goals of the meeting was to advance crisis communications coordination and preparedness for all destinations. The meeting discussed crises of different types, ranking from natural disasters to political instability and health-related pandemics.

Attended by representatives from 13 countries, the session addressed how crises have a transversal impact, and how the perception and image of destinations are affected by them. Issues of strategic crisis communications, media relations and the use of big data were in focus.

'No nation on Earth is free from suffering a crisis and we should assume that crisis management has a highly relevant communications angle that can help diminishing the impact as well as to fasten the recovery process. Having a quick, transparent and credible support when the crisis occurs is part of that process' said UNWTO Secretary-General Dr. Taleb Rifai during his intervention.

'It is only by planning ahead, building relationships with media and learning how to properly communicate that destinations can be prepared to respond effectively to crisis situations and safeguard travel. It is true that there are challenges, and the tourism community has to work together to tackle them' said Eduardo Santander, CEO of the European Travel Commission.

UNWTO initiatives in the field of Crisis Communications, such as the Executive Training on this theme and the Toolbox on Crisis Communications, were presented during the session.