Germany opens its arms to Chinese tourists

The German National Tourist Board plans to promote the country's traditions and customs to Chinese tourists through its traditional cuisine, folk customs and handicrafts, officials said at a recent press conference in Beijing.

Li Zhaohui, director of the board's Beijing office, said Chinese visitors like cities, leisure, scenic spots, delicious food and various museums in Germany.

The agency has prepared 150 itineraries with themes ranging from architecture and history to scenic spots, including some self-driving routes. Visitors can enjoy beer, wine, sausages and ham hocks, and rub shoulders with the locals in the traditional Hamburg fish market and at fantastic carnivals in Munich and Cologne.

According to German government statistics, Chinese overnight stays in the country's accommodations from January to November in 2014 totaled 1.9 million, up from 1.74 million the previous year. The top four stops for Chinese visitors are Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin and Cologne.

The tourism shopping tax-refund company Globe Blue's data shows that most popular shopping destinations in Europe are France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany. In the first quarter of 2014, Chinese tourists spent the most money in Germany, with the average expenditure of 575 euro ($661) per person, followed by Thailand and the United States. Popular German goods are related to fashion, such as clothes, accessories and watches.