Tourism is expected to increase in China and Ireland as direct flights have been established between the two countries, according to an article by The Irish Times.
In 2016, Ireland received over 50,000 Chinese visitors. The numbers are expected to reach even double now that the air link is introduced, although the target number has been set to 50,000 for 2017.
“Although we haven’t got official figures yet, last year we’re very sure the numbers were over 50,000 and that’s the target we set for 2017,” said Niall Gibbons, Tourism Ireland chief, at an event held at the Irish embassy in Beijing.
“Now we have completed a review of developing markets out to 2025 and we feel there are really good prospects in this market here, so that’s why I’m here for my seventh time in China,” Gibbons told The Irish Times.
Direct flights between Ireland and China have been widely demanded for years, making its introduction a very welcome one. In the past, traveling between China and Ireland required a layover in Europe or the United Arab Emirates.
No airline has yet stepped up to debut the route, although experts in the travel industry say that a Chinese carrier is most likely to open a flight from China to Ireland in a few months.
“This year we are looking at a 100 percent increase in the number of Chinese visitors,” Alison Johnston, head of tourism at Kildare Village, told The Irish Times.
Kildare Village is one of the companies taking part in a trade mission to Hong Kong, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.
According to the data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Chinese tourist spending increased by 12 percent over 2015. Meanwhile, the number of travelers increased to 135 million.
“The tourists like the higher-end brands--handbags, clothes with brands they recognize. Anything high-end with a European brand appeals,” said Johnston.