Spain eyes unique initiatives to attract Chinese tourists

MADRID — Through various initiatives, the official Spanish Tourism Institute (Turespana) has gained firsthand knowledge of Chinese outbound tourism, with the digital ecosystem playing a key role in response to changes in the Chinese market, which Spain considers strategic.

Ana Lafuente, tourism counselor at the Tourist Office of Spain in South China's Guangzhou, Guangdong province, tells Xinhua in a recent interview that Spanish travel service providers need to listen to Chinese travelers as they seek unique experiences and become more mature.

Lafuente emphasizes the importance of finding cultural connection points, better understanding the tastes of Chinese tourists, being aware of their basic travel needs, such as preferred payment methods, and recognizing what they miss when tourist destinations don't align with their preferences.

According to Lafuente, the goal is for Spanish destinations and tourism service providers to reach Chinese tourists at all points on the value chain and take advantage of technologies to overcome language barriers.

A recent study by Turespana identified growth potential in tourism from faraway locations like China.

This trend is facilitated operating direct flights between the two countries.

The Spanish side has placed an emphasis on "the Chinese digital ecosystem", which is "so different from ours and so omnipresent in the life of Chinese tourists", Lafuente says.

She adds that the ecosystem is constantly changing and one of the most popular platforms today, WeChat Channels (for short videos), emerged just four years ago.

She points out that working with internet celebrities and bloggers is fundamental because they know how to capture the interesting aspects of tourist destinations that attract Chinese tourists and do so in their native language.

Chinese tour operators, online travel agencies and influencers were invited to share their perspectives at a conference in the capital city of Madrid in July.

During the conference, recommendations were made to boost demand and supply at a time when Chinese tourism to Spain is going "spectacularly well in terms of spending figures, connectivity and overall statistics".

Maria Llinares, tourism counselor at the Spanish embassy in China, agrees that Chinese tourists are maturing and want more diverse experiences.

Jose Sanchez, commercial manager of the International Tourism Fair in Madrid, says these initiatives are fundamental to raising awareness of the Chinese outbound market, from new trends to cultural sensitivity when interacting with Chinese tourists.

The Spanish Statistical Office recorded 337,446 Chinese tourists for the first half of 2024, compared with last year's total of 382,207.