{"id":14579,"date":"2012-12-16T00:12:54","date_gmt":"2012-12-16T00:12:54","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-10-15T12:14:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T12:14:47","slug":"britain-looks-to-chinese-tourists-for-christmas-cheer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiancemagazine.com\/?p=14579","title":{"rendered":"Britain looks to Chinese tourists for Christmas cheer"},"content":{"rendered":"

With their shelves spilling over with festive goodies, London’s department stores are working hard to attract Christmas shoppers — but Chinese visitors are the particular target of a charm offensive.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hotels, retailers and the government are stepping up efforts to woo big-spending Chinese visitors in a bid to bounce back from Britain’s longest recession in half a century.<\/p>\n

Congee and dumplings are on the breakfast menu at enterprising hotels, major London stores have installed Chinese bank card terminals, and Mandarin-speaking staff are on hand to help out with the Christmas shopping.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Britain is courting Chinese travelers not only because they are a rapidly growing market<\/strong> — they made an estimated 70 million overseas trips in 2011, up 20 percent in just a year — but because they are serious shoppers.<\/p>\n

The renowned Harrods department store, in London’s exclusive Knightsbridge district, now has 70 Mandarin-speaking staff and more than 100 China Union Pay terminals allowing direct payment from Chinese bank accounts.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Harrods spokeswoman said jewelery and watches, fashion and fine wines were top of the shopping list for many Chinese customers.<\/p>\n

A record 149,000 Chinese visitors came to Britain last year, bringing some 240 million pounds to the struggling economy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Source AP<\/em>
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