Turismo de Lisboa and Lisboa Convention Bureau organized a tour for a delegation of Chinese tour operators to Lisbon to promote its MICE market in China, with the support of World Travel Online and CBN Travel&MICE. From October 24 – 29, over 20 qualified tour operators from first- and second- tier cities across China had the opportunity to experience Lisbon and its nearby town Cascais.

 

Ms. Ana Ribeiro – Senior Representative from Turismo de Lisboa and Ms. Alexandra - Senior Representative from Lisboa Convention Bureau met with the delegation and had an unforgettable journey with them.

 

 

 

 

The delegation visited many highlights in and around Lisbon, including iconic attractions such as Cabo da Roca, Sintra, Monumental Area named Belem, and Santa Maria de Belém, Shopping centers (El Corte Ingles), as well as experiencing the local sightseeing tramcar, Beetle, speedboat and so on.

 

 

 

In addition, the delegation inspected hotels, restaurants and venues for events, including Museu dos Coches and MAAT. 

 

 

 

Meeting with local suppliers was one of the main purposes of the trip, since the B2B session would strengthen business ties between local suppliers and Chinese tour operators. 

 

One of the delegates said: “We are pleased to talk with local suppliers, in which way we can understand the market in Lisbon better. Now we have the confidence to bring more Chinese visitors, especially business visitors to Lisbon and serve them better!”

 

 

Chinese MICE market is very important for Lisbon, so hosting the fam trip is very timely.

 

Following the launch of Beijing Capital Airlines’ direct flight route from the Chinese capital to Lisbon in July 2017, Portugal has benefitted from a jump in demand from Chinese travelers. 

 

The 2017 year-on-year increase in Chinese visitor numbers (40.3%) was slightly higher than the growth in overnight visits during the same period (36%). Spending among Chinese visitors, however, rose by 80%. The first quarter of 2018 saw a continuation of the country’s strong arrivals growth, with 59,000 visits to the country being made by Chinese nationals, a year-on-year increase of 19.9%.