ATTRACTING a very small percentage of the two million Chinese tourists who visit Europe annually, to the Shannon region, will require a strategically planned and carefully co-ordinated marketing effort, delegates at a Shannon Chamber seminar were told. A panel of leading Chinese academics and Tourism Ireland’ s head of developing markets, were guest speakers at the seminar entitled ‘Chinese Tourism on the Move: Targeting the Affluent Chinese Consumer’, held at the Shannon College of Hotel Management.
With more than 80% of outbound travel booked through agents, the route to market can be easily defined, delegates were told.
“Ireland has Approved Designated Status with China, which means that groups such as summer/winter schools, business tourism, and special interest groups, can be targeted,” said Tourism Ireland’s Jim Paul.
Chinese people have a new interest and appetite for expensive essentials such as electronic goods and high-fashion, so once they arrive in a tourist destination they like to spend, according to Professor Lu Zhouxiang, National University of Ireland Maynooth.
“Once you can attract the Chinese tourist, and get them to stay a few days, they will spend. However, be sure to have authentic Chinese food at least one night during their stay and make sure literature and signage is presented in Chinese,” he added.
