Li Jinzao, the president of the China National Tourism Administration, visits IE Business School

Li Jinzao, the president of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and a former Deputy Minister of Trade, has visited IE Business School. Mr LI was accompanied by Joaquín Uríbarri, IE’s Executive Education director, and both men met with a group of Chinese students attending different programs at IE Business School and IE University.

The visit by the CNTA president is part of an official visit to Spain that has included meetings with Spanish Industry, Energy and Tourism Minister José Manuel Soria resulting in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that aims to promote greater collaboration between Spain and China’s tourism sectors. According to the World Tourism Organization, by 2020, China will be the world’s large source of tourists.

In 2014, some 287,873 Chinese tourists visited Spain, a 13.8% increase on the previous year, representing just 0.4% of the total of almost 65 million arrivals to this country. Last year, Chinese visitors to Spain spent 160 million euros, representing 0.3% of total tourism spending.

Turespaña, the official body responsible for marketing Spanish tourism, says the average Chinese visitor spends 250 euros a day, compared to the average of 110 euros other tourists spend while holidaying in Spain, and that the overall amount Chinese visitors spend during their stay here is 1,800 euros, again, significantly higher than the average for other tourists.

Spain is one of the world’s leading holiday destinations, and last year’s figure of 65 million arrivals was a record. In total, visitors are estimated to have spent 63 million in 2014, according to data provided by the Ministry of Industry, Energy, and Tourism.