Manuel Alvarez, the new incoming Director, China and North East Asia for VisitBritain explains the special place that the UK has for many Chinese people
Please tell us about your career before taking on this role?
I joined VisitBritain from British Airways, where I’d been managing its commercial arm in South Korea. I also coordinated the launch of its commercial distribution in Iran, working with the team in marketing and colleagues in London. Before that, I worked at Iberia Airlines in a number of roles with the responsibility of opening new routes, developing its commercial branches and managing the corporate business.
Manuel joins VisitBritain from British Airways, where he managed its commercial arm in South Korea. He also coordinated the launch of its commercial distribution in Iran, working with the team in market and colleagues in London. Previously he worked at Iberia Airlines in a number of roles including opening new routes, developing its commercial branches and managing the corporate business.Manuel joins VisitBritain from British Airways, where he managed its commercial arm in South Korea. He also coordinated the launch of its commercial distribution in Iran, working with the team in market and colleagues in London. Previously he worked at Iberia Airlines in a number of roles including opening new routes, developing its commercial branches and managing the corporate business.
What plans do you have for attracting more visitors from China to the UK?
We are continually working together with our partners in China, including airlines, travel agencies and public entities, towards making the UK the most attractive destination in Europe. Our aim is to grow inbound traffic by providing unique travel experiences to Chinese travellers, particularly to regions in the UK outside London. Apart from working closely with our partners, we are promoting Britain as a leisure destination through the I Travel For campaign that showcases the surprising and unexpected experiences people have in Britain.
Tourism is one of the UK’s most valuable export industries and it’s growing faster than many other sectors
What type of Chinese travellers are we seeing want to visit the UK at the moment?
We see all types of travellers but the independent traveller segment is growing. In particular, we see growing numbers of Millennials who enjoy travelling by themselves around the country. As well as this, there is a strong appetite for travel by students that select the UK as their preferred country to study, either to learn English or to go to university for a college degree.
The top preference for Chinese tourists in Britain is to visit museums and galleries and indulge themselves in parks and gardens
Are Chinese visitors increasingly looking for experiential trips to the UK?
Absolutely, and this is the strongest selling point in what the UK offers. More and more Chinese tourists are looking for genuine experiences to find out about the way people live in the UK. Apart from shopping, the top preference for Chinese tourists in Britain is to visit museums and galleries and indulge themselves in parks and gardens. They are after well-being and the cultural experience.
How much do you think Brand Britain attracts Chinese visitors to the UK?
The Chinese rate Britain highly overall, though particularly for its built heritage, contemporary culture and vibrant city life. Museums, films and opera are the cultural products or services most strongly associated with Britain by the Chinese.
We know famous landmarks and shopping destinations are high up on the list for Chinese visitors but are there any places that are surprisingly popular among Chinese visitors?
Britain is one of the best known cultural forces in the world, so Chinese visitors may already be familiar with the most famous landmarks and shopping malls in Britain. Our I Travel For campaign was designed to showcase the unexpected experience in familiar places or the hidden gem in Britain for visitors to discover. For instance, this might be a relaxing time in an English village in Cotswolds, or having a pint in a speakeasy bar in central London.
How do you think Brexit will affect travellers to the UK?
With so much uncertainty, it’s hard to say for sure, but tourism is one of the UK’s most valuable export industries and it’s growing faster than many other sectors. It’s in a strong place, with more visitors coming to the UK than ever before; in 2017, there were a record 39.2 million overseas visits to the UK who spent £24.5 billion, also a record. Looking at China specifically, the latest data from VisitBritain shows that visits from China to the UK were a record 337,000 in 2017, up 29 percent from the previous year. To finish up this list of statistics, visitors from China spent a record £694 million in the UK in 2017, up 35 percent.
These numbers are testament to tourism’s importance as a driver of economic growth; they represent the millions of people from across the globe who come to enjoy Britain’s culture, heritage and countryside. They are a reminder of the crucial role that tourism has in offering a warm welcome to the many millions of visitors who come to our shores. They also show our continued ability to compete internationally for visitors in what is a fiercely competitive global industry. How Brexit will affect this is unclear, but tourism needs no trade deals and attracts large inbound investment from around the world.
