How London Can Reverse Its Lagging Tourism Numbers
China travel expert Roy Graff discusses how London can up its efforts to catch up to the United States and Europe in attracting Chinese visitors.
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- Expert Advises: Ditch The Visa Hassles, Prep the Chinese-Language Brochures
- The United Kingdom signed the Approved Destination Status (ADS) agreement with China in the summer of 2005. It's been an approved destination for nearly 8 years. Why are Chinese tourist numbers not growing as fast as other countries?
- In 2005 the media began the hype about millions of new Chinese tourists lifting up the UK hospitality and retail economy. It's 2013. This is clearly not happening. Are Chinese tourists really the saviors of the high street?
- Walk us through what it's currently like to be a Chinese traveler interested in visiting London for the first time. How does this compare to other options they have in Europe?
- How much does the average Chinese traveler spend in London when they do visit? What are they spending their money on? Is it only shopping as much of the media reports? How does this compare with the spend level of other visitors to London?
- Despite the "hassle" of visiting London, it remains a popular place in the minds of many Chinese. What is the appeal of London to Chinese travelers?
- There is a growing number of Chinese FITs (free independent travelers) now. What is the difference between the FIT traveler to London and the group traveler? Is there a difference in where they stay and what they're looking for from the experience?
- What advice do you have for luxury hotels in London? What are they doing right? What can they improve on?
- What advice do you have for luxury retailers in London? What are they doing right? What can they improve on?
- What should the UK as a whole be doing to win more Chinese visitors?
- Tell us more about what you are doing to help London in attracting more Chinese travelers and improving the experience of those that are already visiting.
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