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Dai Bin | China-Italy tourism exchange data and "Welcome China" certification report

2025-04-16 字号:[ ]

On November 8, the third meeting of the China-Italy Cultural Cooperation Mechanism was held at the National Museum of China in Beijing. Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Tajani and Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Sun Yeli attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. During the meeting, representatives of the member units of the two sides of the mechanism introduced the practical cooperation results achieved by the two sides in various fields such as cultural heritage, visual arts, performing arts, creative design, and tourism since the second meeting of the China-Italy Cultural Cooperation Mechanism in 2019, and discussed how to further strengthen the construction of the mechanism and better play the role of the mechanism.

Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Academy, gave a special speech entitled "China-Italy Tourism Exchange Data and the "Welcome China" Certification Report". The key points are shared below.

In order to help overseas tourist destinations build a "service reception system for Chinese people" and enhance the outbound travel experience of Chinese tourists, the China Tourism Academy launched the "Welcome Chinese" project in 2013. While retaining the intellectual property rights, it authorized Italy's Zhe Yi Holdings to promote it globally. Certification project participants include well-known institutions such as China Central Television, China UnionPay, WeChat Pay, Alipay, Ctrip, and Mafengwo.

With the joint efforts of partners, 65 Italian companies, including Rome Fiumicino Airport, the Colosseum, and the National Railway Company, have obtained the "Welcome China" certification, covering a wide range of pan-tourism formats such as hotels, railways, airports, museums, restaurants and shopping villages. We assisted Rome Airport in adopting standardized Chinese signs, launched Chinese shopping guide services, and worked with payment companies such as UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat to provide payment convenience for Chinese tourists. After joining "Welcome China", Rome Airport has added 5 Chinese routes and has become one of the most popular airports for Chinese tourists in Europe. During the second plenary meeting of the China-Italy Cultural Cooperation Mechanism, Rome Airport was awarded the highest level and the only platinum certification in the world. Rome Lazio Convention Bureau and China Tourism Academy, Rome Airport and Alipay signed cooperation memorandums respectively. Under the joint witness of Virginio Merola, the then mayor of Bologna, and Li Ruiyu, the Chinese ambassador to Italy, Bologna became the first city destination in the world to obtain the "Welcome China" full certification. Through the joint hosting of professional forums, data releases, personnel exchanges and industry docking, we have promoted China and Italy as mutually important tourist destinations, and the influence of cities such as Rome, Venice, Bologna, etc. on Chinese outbound tourists and travel agents has been greatly enhanced. The hotels under the STAR HOTELS Group, which were originally less well-known, such as Starhotels Splendid Venice, Starhotels Michelangelo Roma, and Starhotels Metropole, have opened up the Chinese market through the "Welcome China" campaign.

The China Tourism Academy (Data Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism) leverages its research expertise and technical advantages to timely monitor and share data on the tourism market, industry and tourist satisfaction between China and Italy. In 2019, 279,500 Italian tourists visited China, and 528,100 Chinese citizens made their first trip to Italy. In 2023, 101,900 Italian tourists visited China, and 342,400 Chinese citizens made their first trip to Italy. In the first three quarters of 2024, 754,000 Chinese citizens traveled to Italy, and 157,000 Italian tourists visited China.

In the first three quarters of 2024, the satisfaction of Chinese tourists traveling to Italy was 75.77 points, ranking 19th in the world. Compared with 2019 and 2023, the satisfaction score of Italian outbound tourists dropped from the "satisfied" range (80-85 points) to the "basically satisfied" range (75-80 points).

Italian outbound tourists’ satisfaction with online reviews by segment indicators (2019-2024Q3)

Chinese tourists highly praised Italy's tourist attractions, transportation, leisure, and the attitude of local residents. "I strongly recommend traveling from south to north! Milan is the last stop for shopping and it is convenient to pack and take away. Southern Italy is a paradise for travel enthusiasts. Sicily must be visited if you have the chance." At the same time, we also noticed that tourists' evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of the destination (accommodation, shopping, etc.) and platform booking has declined, and effective measures need to be taken to improve it.

Author | Dai Bin Editor | Liu Xin Source | China Tourism Academy (Data Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism) Please indicate the author and source for reprinting