Government measures aimed at lifting visa restrictions to boost the number of Chinese visitors to the UK have been welcomed by the inbound travel industry.
Chinese tourists will be able to use an Irish visitor visa to travel to the UK, without the need for a separate UK visa, and vice versa from the autumn. The British Irish visa scheme will also be launched in India.
The Home Office also announced that talks are ongoing with European partners about further streamlining visa processes with Schengen arrangements to make trips to the UK easier for Chinese visitors.
Along with increasing alignment on the Schengen applications, a simpler, more user-friendly form for independent travellers will be launched on a new more integrated Home Office website.
It features improved translation guidance on visa categories and how to apply. It has been designed for full integration on mobile and tablet platforms with a smarter form and more targeted questions translated into Chinese.
This is part of a new streamlined visa service is to be offered to all Chinese visitors to the UK, cutting down on paperwork and red tape to make it easier for Chinese people to visit the UK and Europe on the same trip.
The UK will also offer a new 24-hour visa service in China from August.
The 196,000 Chinese visitors to the UK spent of £491.7 million last year – up 63.8% on 2012.
But lobby group the UK China Visa Aliiance believes the UK could set for an additional £1.2 billion in Chinese spend per year if visa restrictions were loosened, with these visitors currently spending on average £741 per transaction in UK shops.
UKCVA chairman Andrew Murphy, retail director of John Lewis, said: “The announcement today from the Home Secretary to make it even easier for Chinese tourists to obtain a UK visa is a very welcome move, and one we firmly believe will bring about increased numbers of Chinese visitors to the UK with all the accompanying economic benefits this yields.
“By extending the pilot of a single form to process UK and Schengen visa applications, more tour operators and individual travellers will be able to plan their trip to the UK with a minimum of hassle.
“We hope and expect the government will now swiftly progress talks with European partners to unlock shared visa application centres to further harmonise and streamline the process for applying for a UK and Schengen visa.”
A report released by the alliance shows that 90% of Chinese tour groups to Europe each year are currently missing out the UK. By comparison, over 80% said their trips focused on itineraries for France and Germany.
Almost three quarters (71%) of operators surveyed said they would put the UK on European itineraries on the condition that the UK visa application process is simplified or merged with the Schengen visa.
VisitBritain director of strategy and communications Patricia Yates said: “Chinese tourists are already coming to Britain in record numbers and staying here longer than our European neighbours. Today’s welcome changes build on the already significant improvements introduced previously by the Home Office.
“Recent streamlining of the visa processing has made a big difference, with Chinese visitor spending up a record 64% to nearly half a billion pounds.
“VisitBritain has also recently launched a ‘GREAT China Welcome Charter’ – to make Britain the most welcoming destination in Europe – which has received huge support from the industry.”
Hilton Worldwide executive vice president and president, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Simon Vincent said: “China has predicted that the number of overseas trips made by Chinese travellers is set to double to 200 million in the next four years – but last year only 200,000 of these visitors came to the UK.
“This week’s announcement regarding greater alignment with the Schengen application process represents a step forward in helping Britain to meet the clear opportunity presented by Chinese travellers.
“We welcome the efforts being made and, following this latest news, look forward to continuing to work with Government to further promote Britain’s long term international competitiveness and in so doing, spur economic growth.”