The European Travel Commission reported this week that according to ForwardKeys air-travel data, 2018 Chinese arrivals at EU destinations were up 5.1% year-on-year. EU-China Tourism Year 2018 contributed to the increase.
Top EU destinations in terms of arrival numbers for Chinese travelers in 2018 were:
- UK +2.4%
- Germany +2.6%
- France +7.7%
EU destinations showing greatest growth in Chinese arrivals - although from modest bases - were:
- Croatia +45.7%
- Estonia +35.8%
- Hungary +25.1%
And China -EU forward bookings for January-April 2019 are 16.9% ahead of that period a year earlier, which compares favorably with a global increase of 9.3%.