Representatives and experts from 23 European countries and China discussed the development of bilateral tourism at the Europe-China Tourism Dialogue Conference, hosted in Budapest by the Hungarian Presidency of the EU from Wednesday 3 to Friday 5 July.
The European Travel Commission (ETC), an international association representing the industry, stated that it is a priority to restore air traffic between the two regions to pre-Covid-19 levels. It also stressed the importance of Member States considering tourism not only as a means of economic prosperity, but also as a means of peace. To this end, cultural exchanges and the transfer of historical and traditional knowledge between China and Europe are essential.
Representatives of the World Tourism Alliance, a China-based NGO, have said that Chinese tourists’ sensitivity to value for money is changing. They are prepared to spend more on travel.
On Wednesday 13 November, Budapest will also host the European Tourism Forum, bringing together professionals from the sector. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)