Marbella, the epicenter of tourism promotion between China and Europe

The city of Marbella has become the epicenter of tourism promotion between Europe and China for a few days with the hosting of the continental forum of the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF), taking place from November 11 to 13. The event allows tour operators and agencies from the Asian country to firsthand experience the tourism offerings of the municipality.

Under the theme 'Reorganizing high-level tourism', the event gathers more than 200 representatives from China, Spain, and other European countries at the Congress Palace, addressing issues such as technological innovation in urban tourism, artificial intelligence, big data to personalize visitor experiences, and the promotion of luxury tourism between both continents.

The mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz, highlighted during the opening ceremony this Wednesday the city's commitment to Chinese tourism, a market with high purchasing power that presents “an average expenditure per person exceeding 2,600 euros” and from which “more than half a million visitors have traveled to our country” in the first eight months of the year.

In this regard, she emphasized that “the Chinese tourism market currently has great strength, and is also growing,” noting that “it contributes significantly to the national tourism GDP with more than 6.4%.”

Regarding the profile of these tourists, she noted that they are “high-income visitors who travel in winter” and who “seek exclusive, cultural, and sustainable experiences,” highlighting that this is the type of traveler the city is targeting and focusing all its promotional strategy on.

She detailed that the Chinese tourist demands not only “sun and beach, although they do value our coast and climate,” stressing that they “wish to discover authenticity, nature, scenic trails, gastronomy, shopping, art, heritage, and enjoy and feel part of the place they visit.”

Muñoz highlighted the importance of choosing Marbella to host the forum, noting that the city has been part of the global federation since 2020 along with other Spanish destinations like Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville, pointing out that “bilateral meetings with our hotel industry, golf courses, and even for wedding celebrations are taking place within its framework.”

The Director of Tourism of Marbella City Council, Laura de Arce, mentioned that hosting the congress in the city is “a decisive step in the promotion we are undertaking in China,” highlighting that 80 members of the federation are participating, along with agencies and tour operators who are getting to know the city's tourism offerings firsthand these days. Additionally, she emphasized the promotional activities carried out by the City Council with China through social media.

Main Emerging Market

The provincial delegate for Tourism, Culture, and Sport of the Junta in Málaga, Carlos García, highlighted that the choice of the city as the congress venue represents “a recognition of the dynamism, strength, and innovation of Andalusian tourism,” noting that “Europe is the most visited destination while China continues to consolidate as the main global issuer and is an emerging destination of great cultural, historical, and economic value.”

“The relationship between the European and Chinese markets opens an extraordinary horizon of collaboration, development, and shared growth,” García emphasized, noting the influence of technology in traveling and personalizing experiences. At the same time, he pointed out that the congress theme invites a shift from “a model based on quantity to one oriented towards excellence, uniqueness, and quality.”

The Cultural Minister Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Spain, He Yong, noted that over 650,000 tourists from the Asian country traveled to Spain in 2024, a 60% increase from the previous year, and mentioned that this dynamism “reflects the mutual desire to deepen friendship and understanding between both peoples.” During his speech, he indicated that the “true essence” of luxury tourism is related to “bringing the traveler closer to local life and nature,” a sector he praised as a bridge between civilizations.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the WTCF, Chen Bo, highlighted that the organization, based in Beijing with over 250 members in 87 countries, “works to strengthen cooperation between tourist cities and promote a better urban life through tourism.” He also advocated for leveraging digital tools to boost high-end tourism, foster integration between culture and travel, and promote shared progress based on international alliances.

The Deputy Chief of Strategy of Turespaña, Daniel Rosado, stated that for Spain “the relationship with China is special,” emphasizing that it is “a strategic market with great potential” and that meetings like the forum “allow tightening institutional and business cooperation between both countries, generating bridges and alliances, and projecting an intelligent, global, and sustainable tourism model.”