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This is NEWS plus Special English. I'm Marc Cavigli in Beijing. Here is the news.
A record 4.5 million Chinese people are estimated to have traveled overseas during Spring Festival, a rise of almost 13 percent from one year ago.
An increasing number of Chinese see overseas travel as a fashionable way to celebrate the Lunar New Year, which fell on January 31st. Travel as a family or as several families in a group has been an important new trend this year.
While Europe was one of the most popular destinations for Chinese holiday makers, the U.K., France and Italy are among the most popular countries for Chinese tourists.
Having gained a taste for European culture via TV, movies and books, Chinese tourists are mainly interested in museums, palaces, castles and the ancient universities. London, Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, York and Edinburgh are the most popular attractions.
As their incomes and living standards rise, an increasing number of Chinese visitors are now demanding high-end facilities during their trips.
Chinese visitors were luxury goods buyers. In the UK, they spent three times as much as the Arabs and the Russians or other traditional big spenders.
To further attract Chinese visitors to France and other European countries, the French government has pledged to fast-track the application process for the Chinese tourists. It will allow them to obtain a visa in 48 hours.
Meanwhile, a growing number of Chinese tourists are not happy with simply taking photos in front of the landmarks, or shopping for luxury goods.
An increasing number of Chinese tourists prefer in-depth travel packages. They want to spend several days in one place — Paris, for example. They want to explore the city, visit the museums and gain greater knowledge about its history.
