China host country at BIT 2013

ITALY (eTN) – Ever since Marco Polo, and then the missionary and scholar Matteo Ricci – the first two Westerners to stay in the Celestial Empire – Italy and China have always been joined by a special relationship that continues until today. The Bit International Tourism Exchange has decided to celebrate the appointment of the host country for the China Edition 2013, which will be held in Fiera Milano in Rho from Thursday, February 14 to Sunday, February 17, 2013.

“The choice of China as guest country at Bit 2013,” said Marco Serioli, Division Director of Fiera Milano Exhibitions, “is the testimony of a historic cultural relationship that today reads “business relationship,” especially in an industry like tourism, whose essence is precisely the interplay between different realities. China is now one of the top destinations in the world and by 2020 will become the first outgoing market. The internationalization strategy of Bit and Fiera Milano, focusing particularly on emerging markets, it demonstrates to quickly grasp this trend, with a collaborative trend that creates opportunities for both institutions and the players in the industry.”

Today, fortunately, it is no longer necessary to have the adventurous spirit of Marco Polo to visit China: just be a good traveler. In fact, in 2010, China became the third tourist destination in the world, with about 56 million visitors and an average growth of 9% (data from UNWTO). Foreign visitors seek to enjoy especially the Great Wall, the Army of Xi’an Terraccotta, and the Forbidden City in Beijing. But Italians, retracing the steps of the Venetian explorer, also appreciate the Silk Road.

The Italian presence in China has scored record numbers in 2011, reaching the figure of around 240,000. They are visiting the Asian giant mainly for business, but leisure travel is also growing. In addition to classic destinations, Italians appreciate Guangzhou and Shanghai. The package-type is 9 days and 7 nights and a growing trend to stays of 15-20 days to visit the inland (source CNTA – China National Tourism Administration).

For their part, the Chinese people have a great desire to learn about Europe and especially Italy, of which they appreciate the lifestyle. According to the UNWTO, in 2020, China will be the first outbound market in the world with over 100 million visitors.

In May 2012, Italy has been the destination of the largest ever incentive trip promoted in China: 2,800 managers. They were hosted by a major Chinese producer of consumer goods following the poll launched requesting to vote for the favorite destination – the majority chose Italy. The lucky guests visited various locations of central northern Italy enjoying art and shopping; each of them spent an average of 4,000 euro on products “Made in Italy.” In 2011, Chinese travelers to Italy increased 130% in 2011 for a total of over 230,000 visas issued by the Italian embassy in China.

China will have a particular visibility as a guest country at Bit 2013, where a series of events are being planned for the occasion, including training sessions for the travel trade.

For the latest information: www.bit.fieramilano.it

Bit is also present on the main social networks (@ bitmilano) and with its own channel on YouTube.