Rhodes, known around the world as a tourist destination of high standards, attracted the interest of thousands of visitors at the important international tourism exhibition “ITB SHANGHAI 2024” in China, in which the Municipality of Rhodes participated in cooperation with PROTOUR, successfully promoting, for the first time in China, the tourism product of the island, with emphasis on those points of interest to Chinese visitors.
How could it be otherwise when Rhodes and especially the Municipality of Rhodes and PROTOUR, was represented by the experienced tourism and promotion of Rhodes around the world, Director of the Organization Dionysis Tsiligiris, who had contacts with Chinese agencies and sales channels, as well as with the Greek National Tourism Organization of China.
Particularly successful was the off-program presentation of Rhodes in the PRIME ZONE of the State Channel ZTV 浙江卫视 with 100.000.000 viewers, where Mr. Tsiligiris for more than 10 minutes referred to the common characteristics of the two peoples over the centuries, the admiration of the Greek people in Chinese history and of course to Rhodes as a tourist destination.
Experience activities and gastronomy, honey production, wineries, olive oil production, local excursions, entertainment, shopping, nightlife and more were analyzed according to the interests of Chinese tourists.
Rhodes was the only island destination at the Shanghai exhibition.
The Municipality of Rhodes and PROTOUR have opened a new tourism chapter and are now starting a new communication piece with this country with a huge population. China’s tourism is tourism of tour and visitation.
The interest of visitors goes back to history, museums, archaeological sites, nightlife, shopping, and areas of natural beauty.
The prospects for the Chinese market, a 12-month market, are a big challenge. Promotion in the Chinese market requires special marketing planning and the cooperation of all the island’s tourist forces.
“This is clearly a positive development. The promotion of Rhodes, the development of tourism and the attraction of visitors from Asian countries, especially China, a country with a long history and culture, is one of the main priorities of the municipal authority in the tourism sector.
The strengthening of tourism relations between the two sides, in this case Rhodes and Shanghai, aims to develop the tourist flow between the two countries and the two destinations and I believe that with the special presence of Rhodes at the Shanghai Tourism Fair this has been achieved” underlines the Deputy Mayor of Tourism and Culture Georgios Toppos.
It is worth noting that apart from the indirect connection between Rhodes and Shanghai, since April 2, there is now a direct Athens-Shanghai flight of Juneyao Air, one of China’s leading private airlines, with its flagship Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, 294 seats, operating the flight.
