tourism ireland china

Chinese Tourists Agency

Ireland : Chinese tourists expected to grow by 2025

According to Tourism Ireland, the  number of Chinese tourists  visiting Ireland could reach 200,000 in 2025, more than double that in 2017. Indeed, in 2019, about 100,000 Chinese tourists went to Ireland, up about 15 percent year-on year.

Tourism Ireland announced that it has joined forces with WeChat, a popular social media platform in China, to attract more Chinese tourists to the island of Ireland.

The partnership involves a new mini-program on WeChat, called ‘Explore Ireland’, designed to make it as easy as possible for Chinese visitors to choose the island of Ireland.

Chinese tourists in Ireland

In order to attract the growing inflow of Chinese tourists, Tourism Ireland and Irish tourism partners launched the China Ready training program. This is a program designed to help Irish tourism companies to grab business opportunities and develop their strategy in China with for example  Wechat . Tourism Ireland also developed a joint campaign with one of the biggest Chinese travel companies to attract travelers to come visit Ireland in winter. The Tourism Ireland’s manager for China, James Kenny, said: “Our aim is to win a greater share of the 4 million Chinese visitors who travel to Europe each year”.

Most of Chinese tourists of the first-tier cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, had already traveled a lot. They know many countries and want now to discover new destinations. They are more independent than their peers are. Chinese living in the second-tier cities are less experienced than those living in the first-tier cities of China. That’s why this segment of Chinese tourists will prefer guided tour and group travelling.

In addition, because it’s a new country, they will spend a lot of money. They want to bring gifts and memories to their families and friends. The luxury tourism is more and more chosen by travelers. They want the best: quality, convenience and comfort.

Chinese tourists’ characteristics

The highest number of package trips are booked to Southeast Asia and Europe despite the difference in distance for Chinese tourists and the average spending associated with such destinations. A trip to Europe can also provide a language barrier, which is why a travel agency can help mitigate confusion, especially for travelers who want to visit multiple destinations.

Indeed, Mc Kinsey’s research shows that age is a factor in the popularity of certain types of tours. Self-guided tours, for example, are favored by 44 percent of travelers aged 20 to 24, and that number drops to 27 percent for tourists more than 60 years of age.10 Meanwhile, package tours of 10 to 20 people account for just 4 percent of the youngest cohort of tourists but become more popular with older demographics.

Chinese tourists have a diverse appetite for outbound trips, dispelling the myth that they prefer to take a trip only to do shopping. According to Mc Kinsey’s research, when planning a trip, Chinese outbound tourists desire places that offer natural scenery, high value for money, and family-friendly locales, though the importance of these factors varies by destination.

Finally, the new Chinese millennial generation is really complex, to  attract this target  you will need to use new tools. They want a unique and amazing experience. Indeed, they want to show their travel’s pictures to their friends and their family and they expect you, travel agency, to make it wonderful and unforgettable. They look for high-end package tours with customized and flexible travel experience.

How to attract Chinese tourists?

Even if Chinese travelers are ready to spend a lot of money abroad, attracting them requires a strategic approach and you need to follow some tips to generate traffic on your website.

Partnership with Chinese travel agencies

The majority of  Chinese tourists travel in groups . According to the latest report by the tourism agency of China, group travel takes up 70% of traveling for Chinese people. Therefore, communication among agencies can make your website known, and allows you to generate your first business in the country.

WeChat to communicate with Chinese tourists

Chinese tourists will decide what to book and where to go mostly according to their friends or family advice followed by reviews and comments from users on Chinese social networks in China.

China is the world largest connected country: more than 90% of Chinese people have an account on at least one Chinese social network.

Wechat  is the most used social media in China and, regardless of the size of your company, it is an essential media to develop your marketing strategy in the country. Including Wechat in your digital strategy to attract Chinese tourists is one of the most powerful tools you could use.

WeChat is the app on which Chinese spend most of their time. It is thus the best way to offer your brand visibility and create a community that will follow you.

Press Relations

Having a good reputation online is essential in China. Press Relations is one of the key points on which any digital marketing strategy should be based. PR is a marketing tool that excludes Paid ads. It consists of having an authority profile talking about your company. It can be media (newspapers, blog..), KOLs or even community. More than attracting Chinese travelers to your website, it is important to raise your company awareness and to make it more visible for Chinese by using online Public Relations.

Consequently, it is always useful for a company to use Press Relations to promote your travel tours. With PR you can establish a coherent brand position, write press releases in Mandarin and disseminate this content by targeting journalists.

PR has the advantage of lasting in time and it gives your company legitimacy.

SEO on Baidu is an important tool

The most widely used search engine by Chinese people and Chinese tourists is Baidu. The website owns 70% of the market shares, it ranks 5th among the most visited sites in the world and currently has more than 800 million web pages.

SEO on Baidu is the key for the visibility of your travel company in China. Baidu now offers a wide range of services, such as web searches, image search, music, forums or a Q&A service. It is structured like an ecosystem (Baidu Search, Baidu Promotion, Baidu Video, Baidu Maps, Baidupedia).

SEO on Baidu  requires several steps, which may be different from what needs to be done on Google. The notions of trust and notoriety remain essential for companies wishing to enter the Chinese market and be visible on Baidu.

Key Opinion Leaders to create more engagement

In order to have a quick high visibility in China, few methods are as effective as partnerships with Key Opinion Leaders. Indeed, the word-of-mouth is very strong in China. Since few years, they became a real part of the influencer marketing because they are numerous and powerful. KOLs are often Chinese celebrities who are experts of a specific subject. They are popular social media users and they have created viral contents to develop a community around them.

Working together with Key Opinion Leaders will help your travel company to:

• Increase brand awareness;
• Engage consumers;
• Drive sells.

Many organizations working in the tourism industry wanting to attract Chinese customers already created partnerships with KOLs.

You can work with them by:

• exclusive promotions and discounts;
• interviews;
• digital events;
• creative collaborations
• appoint a KOL as the company’s brand ambassador;
• invitations to events;
• work directly with them on the travel package.

Use Chinese travel platforms

You can have your own website to publish your own content, publish information and specific details about your company. However, if your main purpose is to reach Chinese tourists you must register your business on these famous Chinese platforms. ¼ of the online travel agency market belongs to Ctrip. The rest of the market shares belong to Tuniu CY, LVmama and Aoyou.

Use Ctrip to attract Chinese toutists

Ctrip has now become very popular in China, and since its launch in 1999, Ctrip has experienced an unstoppable growth, becoming the leading travel platform among Chinese travelers. Also in economic terms the trend is more than positive. The Ctrip app is estimated to have generated over 350 billion Yuan for the value of services offered in 2019.

The company is currently listed on NASDAQ, with a market capitalization of approximately $ 20 billion, making it one of the leading travel platforms globally. Trip covers approximately 500,000 hotels in China and 750,000 overseas.

Ctrip is also the largest booking platform for airline, rail, bus and other transportation tickets in all of China. The app is connected with major national and international airlines, and offers air ticketing services covering 220 countries, 3600 international cities and 8 million air routes. Trip allows Chinese travelers to organize their travels in comfort.

The Chinese app, in fact, also offers the possibility to book vacation packages and guided tours at the chosen tourist attractions. In addition, Ctrip further meets Chinese tourists by offering a wide range of services related to the travel sector, including insurance services, visa management, tickets for attractions and activities of the place you intend to visit.

• Chinese Tourists are looking for Local Experience
• China online travel market
• 145 Millions of International Trip for Chinese Tourists

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connecting ireland and china

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Welcome to the Ireland Sino Institute, a premier non-profit and apolitical organization dedicated to boosting Ireland China relations. Our mission is to foster connections between Ireland and China through initiatives in education, cultural exchanges, tourism, trade, and foreign investment, enriching both vibrant nations. We also support the Irish Diaspora in China and the Chinese Community in Ireland.

To Strengten ties between Ireland and China

We believe that through initiatives such as education, exchanges, trade, tourism, foreign investment, and philanthropy, this goal can be achieved.

To give advantage to the disadvantaged

Since 2012, the Ireland Sino Institute, as a non profit, has been supporting the disadvantaged in Rural Northeast China and is committed to continuing this support in both Ireland and China.

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The Ireland Sino Institute supports the Irish Diaspora in China and the Chinese Community in Ireland through various initiatives.

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View our visa free china tours, apply for an internship at our institute, china to europe student exchange service, explore and support our non profit work in rural china., get ready to learn mandarin chinese at the ireland china institute, global trade bridge: the best sourcing, import & export solutions, delegation hosting services, learn in the metaverse, invest in china, invest in ireland, our approach, we provide services to a diverse clientele in a culturally sensitive and professional manner..

Whether you are a prospective EU/China Investor, an educational institution, a tourist, involved in trade, a potential intern, student, donor, or a member of a delegation, we tailor our services to meet your needs promptly, efficiently, and in a culturally sensitive and professional manner.

We are able to offer such tailored services due to our team of professionals originating from both Ireland and China. This diverse composition enables us to finely tune our services to suit the needs of clientele on both sides. Our team possesses a profound understanding of both Western and Eastern contexts and brings years of experience to the table.

a deep understanding of east and west

Our primary competitive advantage lies in our proficiency in both local and international contexts. This is crucial because prospective clients aiming to engage with China or Ireland need to be understood and also require a comprehensive understanding of Ireland and  China’s cultural, legal, social,  and business landscapes.

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Our international team boasts twenty years of experience working in China and Ireland, specializing in diverse fields such as education, tourism, trade, foreign investment, and philanthropy.

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Our international and diverse team of experts, comprising native Chinese and English speakers, handles all client interactions with cultural sensitivity. Each member brings the appropriate qualifications, experience, and personality to effectively meet our clients’ needs.

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China is actively embracing openness and warmly welcomes Sino Enthusiasts from different domains. Whether you are a tourist, investor, philanthropist, educator, student, trade professional, a delegation or simply someone keen to learn more and contribute to China’s development, you will find a sincere and welcoming environment.

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Ireland is actively inviting people to contribute to its vibrant economy and culture. With a strong job market, especially in tech and finance, excellent education, and a high quality of life, Ireland offers a unique blend of opportunities. It’s an ideal destination for those seeking growth in a progressive and welcoming community.

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Discover the Michael Collins and Ireland Sino Institute Connection。Learn about the transformative impact of the Ireland Sino Institute, a dedicated non-profit registered with the Ministry for Civil Affairs in Northeast China and affiliated with the EU Chamber and Irish Chamber of Commerce. Since 2012, the Institute has been a pivotal force in strengthening Ireland-China relations through its innovative educational initiatives.

Braving a Blizzard: Irishman fosters China-Europe ties at CEIBS

CEIBS (China Europe International Business School) in Shanghai recently witnessed a significant event that underscored its role as a vital bridge between China and Europe. The visit by Irish Tánaiste Micheál Martin, a senior leader from a European Union state, brought not only international media attention but also passionate advocates for deeper China-Europe ties to the school’s campus. The event gained additional significance with the attendance of Pat McCarthy, founder of the Ireland China Institute, and his wife.

Shenyang’s Mid-Autumn Festival: A Special Invite to Ireland-Sino Institute

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, a special celebration event was held in Shenyang. This event, organized by the Information Office of the Liaoning Provincial People’s Government and co-hosted by the Information Office of the Shenyang Municipal People’s Government and the International Online Liaoning Channel, was attended by representatives from the Ireland Sino Institute.

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Tourism Ireland ramps up its interest in China

Tourism Ireland is doubling its marketing investment in China to €1 million and will also double its marketing team to 12 over the coming months in a bid to grow Chinese visitor numbers to 200,000 by 2025. The announcement was made by Tourism Minister Shane Ross ahead of Tourism Ireland’s largest ever sales mission to China.

A record 26 tourism businesses and five island of Ireland tourism industry leaders are on a trade visit  Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai and Beijing this week, to meet travel agents, tour operators, airlines and travel journalists. The expansion news comes on the back of last year’s increase of 11 per cent in Chinese visitors to Ireland.

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Embassy of Ireland, China

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Please be advised that the Embassy of Ireland, China website has moved and this  page is no longer being updated. The Embassy website is now available at  Ireland.ie/beijing .

Visit Ireland

Ireland’s friendly welcome and spectacular scenic beauty draws millions of visitors each year

Ireland is famous for its remarkable scenic beauty, with a spectacular coastline set with dramatic mountains, pristine rivers and lakes, and lush green countryside.

Ireland has a unique culture that, like China’s, is several thousand years old.  With passage tombs older than the pyramids, cities founded by Vikings, crumbling castles and grand country estates, Ireland’s history is etched on our landscape.

Our vibrant towns and cities, and rich culture of music, dance and literature, make for an enriching visit, with a host of festivals and cultural events held across the country and throughout the year.

Ireland has more golf courses per square kilometre than any other country in the world and is a world-famous home for horse-racing and thoroughbred horse-breeding.

Millions of visitors come to Ireland each year and enjoy the famous welcome of the Irish, extended by our warm, hospitable and friendly people.

People to people links and exchanges, including through travel and tourism, is one of the important elements in the Strategic Partnership between Ireland and China.

Also, the British-Irish Visa Scheme, launched in China in October 2014, allows travel between Ireland and the UK with just one visa. So, it has never been easier to visit Ireland from China.

We are delighted to welcome tens of thousands of visitors from China to Ireland each year and look forward to many more Chinese people discovering Ireland and the warm welcome of the Irish.

Tourism Ireland is responsible for marketing the island of Ireland overseas as a holiday and business tourism destination. For more information please visit:

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China, Ireland vow to advance ties

By CAO DESHENG in Dublin, Ireland | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2024-01-17 23:37

Premier Li Qiang has underscored the need for China and Ireland to jointly uphold a free and open international trading system and maintain stable and unimpeded global industrial and supply chains to give positive energy to the world as it faces uncertainties.

Li made the remarks on Wednesday during a meeting with Irish President Michael D. Higgins in Dublin, the Irish capital, while on an official visit to the country.

While calling for promoting true multilateralism, the premier said that both countries should bridge differences through dialogue and resolve disputes through cooperation.

He emphasized the need for both countries to work together to improve global governance and better promote common development.

On bilateral ties, Li said that China is willing to uphold mutual respect and equality with Ireland, continue to enhance mutual understanding and trust, fully take into account each other's major interests and core concerns, and continuously enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields.

Higgins said that the relationship between Ireland and China maintains a good momentum of development as they always adhere to mutual understanding and respect.

When meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Wednesday, Li called on the two countries to keep expanding trade, strengthen cooperation in areas such as sustainable agriculture and finance, and explore innovative cooperation in the digital economy and artificial intelligence, among others.

To facilitate personnel exchanges between the two countries, China will extend unilateral visa-free treatment to Ireland, Li said.

The premier also said it is hoped that Ireland will provide an open, fair and nondiscriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.

China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Ireland within the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks to uphold true multilateralism and jointly address global challenges, Li said.

China expects Ireland to play a bigger role in promoting the sound and stable development of relations between China and the European Union, he added.

Noting that Ireland and China have always respected and trusted each other, Varadkar said his country firmly adheres to the one-China principle and hopes China will achieve peaceful reunification at an early date.

Ireland will actively consider offering more convenience for Chinese citizens to travel and welcome more Chinese enterprises to invest and start businesses in the country, he said, adding that his country supports the further deepening of EU-China cooperation.

Economic and trade cooperation between China and Ireland has developed rapidly in recent years. China is Ireland's fourth-largest trading partner in the world. Ireland has maintained a trade surplus with China for several years. In 2022, bilateral trade reached $23.8 billion, a year-on-year increase of 3.8 percent, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Li arrived in Dublin on Tuesday after attending the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum and paying an official visit to Switzerland. He wrapped up his whirlwind trip to Ireland on Wednesday and flew back to Beijing.

Mo Jingxi in Beijing contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at [email protected]

Ireland increasingly seen by China as a bridge to the EU

Extensive media coverage of prime minister’s visit to dublin focused on ireland’s neutrality and ‘openness’ in face of eu protectionism.

President Michael D Higgins and Chinese premier Li Qiang. Chinese readers might be forgiven for thinking Ireland is governed from the Áras. Photograph: Maxwells

Chinese premier Li Qiang’s visit to Ireland was front-page news in China on Thursday, with a report in the People’s Daily accompanied by a picture of him with President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin. Other newspapers carried the report by Xinhua, China’s news agency, and the story also made the television news.

“China meets with Irish President Higgins,” the People’s Daily headline said.

The President featured prominently in the coverage, and Chinese readers might be forgiven for thinking that the country is governed from the Áras.

“Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Michael D Higgins, the China-Ireland strategic partnership for mutually beneficial co-operation has increasingly deepened, and exchanges and co-operation in various fields have continuously expanded, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples,” the People’s Daily quoted Li as saying.

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Ireland was only the fourth European country Li visited since he became the second most important figure in the Chinese Communist Party last year. He visited France and Germany soon after taking up his position and he was in Switzerland this week, making an official visit and attending the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The Chinese media noted that Ireland has now joined a handful of European countries whose citizens will be able to visit China without a visa. Under the policy, which has applied to France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain since the beginning of last month, tourists, businesspeople and others can come to China visa-free for visits of up to 15 days.

Chinese reports did not mention the other news that made the headlines in Dublin: Beijing’s decision to readmit Irish beef into its market after it was suspended last November following the discovery of an atypical case of BSE. In an unusual move, the Chinese authorities appear to have curtailed their own investigative process and simply accepted Ireland’s scientific data about the atypicality of the case.

“China and Ireland should continuously expand trade, strengthen co-operation in green and low-carbon development, sustainable agriculture, finance and other fields, and expand innovation co-operation in digital economy, biomedicine and artificial intelligence, making the pie of co-operation bigger,” Li said.

Ireland is the only European Union member state that enjoys a trade surplus with China at a time when Brussels is considering a range of protectionist measures. These include an investigation into China’s subsidies for its electric vehicle industry and a proposal to “de-risk” the European economy from an over-dependence on Chinese products and supply chains.

Some of these moves are influenced by the increasingly hostile political rhetoric about China that has crossed the Atlantic from Capitol Hill in recent years. Li’s visit was part of a diplomatic initiative to urge the EU not to abandon its commitment to free trade or start a trade war with China.

“It is hoped that Ireland will play a greater role in promoting the sound and stable development of China-Europe relations,” Xinhua quoted Li as saying.

China hopes that Ireland, as one of the most open economies in Europe, will be a voice within the EU against protectionism. A report in the Global Times went further, identifying Ireland’s neutrality as a factor in its relationship with China.

[  China confirms resumption of Irish beef exports and easing of travel rules  ]

“As one the very few neutral countries in the EU, Ireland has maintained very sound and stable relations with China,” Wang Yimei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Wednesday, noting that there was great potential for bilateral co-operation in areas such as digital innovation and climate change.. The paper reported: “Wang said that Ireland’s ‘neutrality’ and its focus on ‘openness’ rather than protectionism mean that it could act as a bridge between China and the EU. ‘This makes it more likely that Ireland can play an important role in China-EU relations,’ he said.”

Ireland’s military neutrality, which may be an embarrassment to parts of the country’s political, academic and media elites, is an advantage not only in China but across the Global South. In much of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, Nato is not seen as the sword and shield of benign liberal values but as the sharp end of the spear of western imperialism and arrogance.

There are many elements that inform Ireland’s foreign policy, among them EU membership, the relationship with Washington and the structure of the economy. But the legacy of being a colony, a commitment to global, multilateral institutions and a concern and respect for the world’s poor have also helped to shape it.

These are the dimensions of Ireland’s foreign policy championed by President Higgins throughout his political career, which he has continued to highlight as head of state. His role may not be as central as the People’s Daily imagines but, as Ireland seeks to extend its global, diplomatic footprint, he is a valuable and highly effective asset.

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