Spanish travel agencies have also praised China's visa-free policy, which is seen as a stimulus to revive the tourism industry in China and Europe.
BARCELONA, Spain, March 17 (Xinhua) — Spanish travel industry experts are pleased that China continues to return as a major tourist destination for Spanish tourists.
At B-Travel, a tourism trade fair that opened on Friday and ended on Sunday in Barcelona, Spain, exhibitors displayed a variety of tourism products and packages to promote travel to China.
“Our tour operators and travel agents are developing products and packages…China has always been an important destination for Spanish tourists,” said Marti Zarate, president of Beat Travel and the Spanish Association of Specialized Travel Agents. He told Xinhua at the trade fair.
After the pandemic, “I'm very happy that China has reopened, because it represents a significant level of high-quality tourism and more Spaniards are coming to visit China,” he said. added.
Tourists take photos in a lavender field in Brihuega, Spain, July 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)
Spanish travel agencies have also praised China's visa-free policy, which is seen as a stimulus to revive the tourism industry in China and Europe. In December, China extended its visa-free policy to ordinary passport holders from five European countries, including Spain. In late January and starting March 14, China added a total of eight more European countries to its list of experimental visa-free policies.
Aspasia Travel, which organizes 15-day guided tours in China including visits to Chinese cities such as Beijing, Xi'an, Kunming and Shanghai, said China's decision to waive visa requirements for Spaniards with ordinary passports , said it will help sell package travel. To the country.
“Right now, we are trying to put China back in the spotlight and we have to motivate people to go to China. The visa-free travel situation helps with that motivation,” said Aspasia Travel Director. Adonis Rahmouni told Xinhua.
A photo taken on January 20, 2021 shows an empty dining area near the Monastery of Montserrat in Montserrat, Spain. The monastery was once a famous tourist attraction in Catalonia, but since the coronavirus outbreak, it has been largely empty of tourists. (Photo provided by Joan Gosa/Xinhua)
More than 60% of direct flights between China and Spain before the pandemic have been restored, according to Spain's tourism agency Turespana. Starting March 31, Air China will operate daily direct flights between Barcelona and Beijing, and Cathay Pacific plans to resume direct flights from Barcelona to Hong Kong in June.
More than 380,000 people visited Spain from China last year, according to data from the Spanish Statistics Authority. However, this figure is well below pre-pandemic levels, when more than 700,000 Chinese tourists visited Spain in 2019.
“Chinese tourists are important for our region and are increasingly returning to Spain, including Andalusia, Malaga and the Costa del Sol,” said Jorge Martín, president of the Axarquia Costa del Sol Town Federation. he said. The region of southern Andalusia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Spain.
Tourists take photos in the old town of Toledo, Spain, September 22, 2020. Toledo's tourism industry has been significantly impacted by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo) ■
