2023.07.04
As part of the China-Spain Cultural and Tourism Year 2023 framework, the “WTA•Dialogue for China-Spain Tourism Cooperation”, a collaborative initiative of the World Tourism Alliance and the Spanish Tourism Authority (TURESPAÑA), was held at the InterContinental Madrid on July 3, 2023. Preceding this pivotal meeting, ZHANG Xu, Chairman of the World Tourism Alliance, met with the State Secretary for Industry, Trade and Tourism of Spain, Rosa Ana Morillo, to deliberate on future Sino-Spanish tourism cooperation.
Chairman ZHANG Xu underscored Spain and China’s mutual significance as prominent sources of tourists and prime tourist destinations. In 2019, China welcomed 166,000 Spanish tourists, while over 700,000 Chinese tourists traveled to Spain. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected travels between the two nations. As global tourism rebounded, Mr. Zhang expressed his delight that the first offshore activity of the World Tourism Alliance was being conducted in Spain. This not only testifies to the high regard that the governments of China and Spain hold for tourism collaboration but also echoes the shared anticipations within the tourism industry of both countries for dialogue and fostering travel exchanges. As a leading global tourism destination, welcoming over 80 million tourists annually, Spain can anticipate a continued rise in the proportion of Chinese tourists. ZHANG Xu also expressed eagerness to welcome more Spanish tourists to China. Against the backdrop of the 50th anniversary of Sino-Spanish diplomatic relations and the China-Spain Cultural and Tourism Year, the World Tourism Alliance aspires to leverage this dialogue as a catalyst to propel pragmatic cooperation in the tourism industry, aiding the rapid recovery of tourism in China, Spain, Europe, and globally.
Morillo stated that Spain highly appreciates China’s pivotal role in global tourism. After three years of pandemic-induced stagnation, the Spanish tourism sector today strongly desires to restore comprehensive Sino-Spanish tourism cooperation. With abundant confidence in the future trajectory of Sino-Spanish tourism cooperation, Morillo asserted that the current figure of 700,000 Chinese tourists might appear modest against Spain’s annual influx of 80 million tourists, but the unique traits of Chinese tourists, such as their keen inclination to delve into foreign cultures, food, environmental protection, and emphasis on shared experiences, align seamlessly with Spanish aspirations. The hosting of the “WTA•Dialogue for China-Spain Tourism Cooperation” brought numerous premier Chinese tourism enterprises to Spain. This facilitated an invaluable platform for face-to-face exchanges between key representatives from the tourism sectors of both nations, offering opportunities for precise comprehension of mutual requirements, and thereby establishing a resilient foundation for future practical collaboration. Morillo conveyed Spain’s commitment to not only increasing the quantity but also enhancing the quality of experience for Chinese tourists, expressing a desire to expand future travel destinations for Chinese tourists beyond mature tourism cities like Madrid and Barcelona.
During the meeting, Chairman ZHANG Xu briefly introduced the “2023 World Tourism Alliance • Xianghu Dialogue” to be held in Hangzhou in November and invited Morillo to lead a delegation to China to participate in the event. Morillo indicated her earnest consideration of the invitation.
The meeting was attended by WU Haitao, Chinese Ambassador to Spain, Miguel Sanz, Director-General of TURESPAÑA, LIU Shijun, Vice Chair and Secretary-General of the World Tourism Alliance, Eduardo Santander, Executive Director of the European Travel Commission/Vice Chair of the World Tourism Alliance, and HE Yong, Cultural Counselor to the Chinese Embassy in Spain.