Greater Manchester's economy's being boosted by tens of thousands of pounds due to a huge increase in the number of Chinese visitors.

 

Since direct flights were introduced between Manchester Airport and Beijing tourism has surged by over a third.

 

Businesses are also doing deals oversees with £1.29 billion pounds worth of goods being exported over the last two years.

 

Today Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham revealed the finidings of an independent study which focuses on the 'golden era' of relations. It found Chinese companies are increasing their investments in the North of England, furthering a trend sparked by President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to Manchester nearly three years ago.

 

“The China Dividend: Two Years In” has tracked the economic, social and cultural benefits that have been felt across the North in the two years since direct flights began.

 

The findings of the study by independent consultants Steer Davis Gleave include:

 

• A 38% increase in the number of Chinese visitors to the North since 2016 - a growth rate higher than both London and the UK average. The UK average is 30%

 

• The average spend per visit in the North West increased by 94% to £2,167 and is now 5% higher than the national average

 

• The number of Chinese students in Greater Manchester has grown 9% in two years vs national growth of 4%

 

• A 114% increase in Northern students gaining Chinese internships, with more than 70% from low income backgrounds

 

• The Manchester-Beijing route has grown faster than any other UK-China route that has been in operation for more than 12 months

 

• Export values from Manchester Airport to China grew 41% to £1.29 billion in the two years after route launch, while national values fell 30%.

 

Mr Burnham launched the report ahead of participating in the World Economic Forum, in Tianjin, where he was due to meet with global leaders and speak on a range of subjects, including smart cities, healthcare and green manufacturing. He said: “Greater Manchester has an ambition to sit at the heart of a productive, culturally rich and internationally competitive Northern economy.

 

“To do that, it is vital the North has strong connections with high-growth markets like China, which we have been working hard to develop over the past five years.

 

“Central to our ambition are direct air links, and the China Dividend study demonstrates that good connectivity is not just about getting people and products from A to B, but the wider impacts that they have on so many aspects of peoples’ lives at both ends of the route.

 

“All parts of the North are benefitting from the economic, social and cultural connections that have forged as a result of the region’s first ever direct service to mainland China launching two years ago.

 

“We’ve really seen the success of the first route to China from Manchester Airport, so we hope to see more being added in the future.”