Tourism office targets lucrative Chinese market
Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin said Tourism Ireland’s first office in China was opened in Shanghai in recognition of the growing significance of Chinese tourism.
At the launch in Shanghai, Niall Gibbons, director of corporate services with Tourism Ireland, said: “This office gives us a base on which to build to achieve our target of 50,000 visitors by 2009.”
Mr Martin highlighted tourism as a major Irish economic sector, with over eight million visitors.
“The Government is keenly aware of the potential of the Chinese tourism market and the first approved destination status group was greeted by the Taoiseach on their visit to Dublin last year,” Mr Martin said.
“We look forward to welcoming more Chinese tourists,” he added.
China will have the world’s largest outbound tourism market by 2020, according to World Tourism Organisation figures.
Both Ireland and Britain were granted approved destination status last year, allowing Ireland to establish organised group tourism from China to Ireland. Over 5,000 Chinese visitors came to Ireland during 2005.
Tourism Ireland has established a Chinese website and translated books and information into Mandarin and Cantonese for potential tourists.
Mr Martin said the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) was bidding to attract more Chinese companies to Ireland through a new Shanghai office.
Gus Jones, director of IDA Ireland-China, said the new office would focus on helping Chinese companies to target the European market.
“This is the beginning of a win-win partnership with the Chinese business community to match the best of Irish capabilities and talents to the needs of Chinese investors,” Mr Jones said.
