The travel agency, GEG Travel, is launching a new product offering the discovery of 10 Belgian cities, 8 of which are in Wallonia. The offer is aimed at Chinese living in Europe but also those in continental China. Already operating in the Netherlands from where it organises trips with discovery tours for Chinese tourists, Go Europe Go (GEG Travel), based in Rotterdam, is embarking on the Belgian market.
In Shanghai, in the presence of the Walloon Minister for Tourism, René Collin, it has just announced the launch of "Discover amazing Belgium", a specific programme aimed at attracting Chinese residents living in Belgium.
"In April, we conducted a familiarisation trip to Wallonia. I didn't know that a neighbouring region could have so many things to see. I hope that in the Walloon cities, we will see individual Chinese tourists and not just government groups", says Annie Xu, Marketing Director of GEG Travel for Asia.
"What interested us is the profile of the GEG managers. They have lived in the Netherlands for 30 years and therefore have a good understanding of both European and Chinese culture. This is the type of partnership we need to welcome the Chinese", explains Dominique André, Manager of the Chinese Market at the Wallonie Belgique Tourisme (WBT) non-profit organisation.
According to Annie Xu, 122 million Chinese tourists travelled the world in 2016 and spent a total of around 109.8 billion dollars, which is approximately 900 dollars per person. "The Chinese now enjoy a higher standard of living than previously and are travelling", she highlights.
GEG managers say that they have "fallen in love" with Belgium. The proposed programme extends from 9 July to 28 August with a tour that lasts several days (6 days, 5 nights) and which starts on a Sunday. The agency is inviting Chinese tourists to discover 12 Belgian cities, 8 of which are in Wallonia: Durbuy, Dinant, Mons, Liège, Waterloo, Namur, Spa and Louvain-la-Neuve Three cities in the country's north (Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent) and Brussels complete the proposed tour.
"Our strategy aims to offer new European cities to our customers, mainly those that are less well-known. For the Chinese, it is the opportunity to discover and appreciate new destinations and for GEG, it means a lot of business. So it's a win-win situation for everyone", says the GEG Manager for Asia.
Minister Collin hopes that GEG's programme will develop so well that the agency will eventually open an office in Wallonia.