WTA Chair ZHANG Xu Meets with HTA CEO KÖNNYID László

Budapest, July 3 – The “Europe-China Tourism Dialogue”, co-hosted by the World Tourism Alliance (WTA), the European Travel Commission (ETC), and the Hungarian Tourism Agency (HTA), officially began today in Budapest, Hungary. Prior to the event, Mr. ZHANG Xu, WTA Chair, met with Mr. KÖNNYID László, CEO of the Hungarian Tourism Agency, to discuss future tourism cooperation between China and Hungary.

Mr. ZHANG Xu highlighted the strong and consistently high-level development of China-Hungary relations in recent years. He emphasized that tourism is a key area of practical cooperation between the two countries, with strong complementarities and significant growth potential. The “Europe-China Tourism Dialogue” not only stands as a testament to the friendly relations between China and Hungary but also as a result of the active cooperation between Europe and China in the tourism sector. With the international tourism industry steadily recovering, China-Hungary tourism cooperation faces new development opportunities. The WTA is eager to further strengthen tourism exchanges and cooperation with Hungary, promoting the mutual prosperity of the tourism industries in both countries and bringing more benefits to their peoples.

Mr. KÖNNYID László expressed Hungary’s high regard for China’s significant role in the global tourism industry. He noted the increasing number of flights between Hungary and China and the frequent travel between the two countries. The Hungarian tourism sector is enthusiastic about strengthening tourism cooperation with China and is optimistic about the future. Mr. KÖNNYID hopes that the “Europe-China Tourism Dialogue” will provide a platform for face-to-face discussions, allowing tourism professionals from both countries to understand each other’s needs accurately and lay a solid foundation for practical cooperation in the future.

The meeting was attended by Mr. GONG Tao, Ambassador of China to Hungary; Mr. LIU Shijun, Vice Chair and Secretary-General of the WTA; Mr. XIANG Xiaowei, Minister Counsellor of the Section of Education and Culture of China Mission to the EU; and Mr. KOCSIS András, PhD, Diplomacy Advisor of HTA.