Portugal and Malta are slowly and steadily gaining traction where Chinese tourists are concerned.

In this fall, tourism and travel in various European countries are on the rise, with Portugal and Malta not being exceptions.

The two EU countries have reported a notable surge in travelers from China, thus going on to become popular destinations for the trips scheduled up until December of the current year.

The number recorded in the last quarter of 2023 is reported to be significantly higher than that recorded in the corresponding period of the previous year.

France

Despite the rising popularity of Portugal and Malta, France has managed to remain at the top of the list of vacation preferences for Chinese visitors.

In the Long-Haul Travel Barometer survey conducted by the European Travel Commission (ETC), 47% of the 1,000 respondents said that their travel itinerary for autumn 2023 included the country.

Every year, the ETC carries out a total of 1,000 online interviews in the six biggest markets in Europe. These include Canada, Japan, the United States, Brazil, Australia, and China.

Through its survey, the ETC strives to note patterns and preferences of travelers in the upcoming season.

As per the results of the Long-Haul Travel Barometer, travelers from China have shown noteworthy interest in exploring other locations within the continent that are not pretty popular.

These destinations include Iceland, Ireland, Sweden, and Bulgaria. Back in 2019, some of these countries were not even on the list of choices for the autumn season.

Other destinations

Along with France, 23% of the Chinese tourists revealed that they would want to visit Germany before the year is out.

In addition, 20% of respondents to the survey added that they would want to visit two locations, namely Denmark and Italy.

Meanwhile, 19% of the travelers from China who were asked about their preferred location for this autumn season stated that they would book a flight to Austria.

13% of the respondents to the Long-Haul Travel Barometer shared that they would want to pick one destination among Greece, Finland, and Switzerland.

Activities

When making the trip to Europe, travelers from China further expressed that they would want to enjoy gastronomy experiences. Consequently, 40% of the respondents favored this choice.

The younger Chinese population that was interviewed, specifically people aged between 18 and 34 and 35 and 49, said that they would want to savor the local cuisine of Europe before the year is out.

Moreover, these two age groups expressed a keen interest in wanting to participate in cooking classes in the countries they visit.

32% of the respondents revealed that they would want to indulge in city life activities, which would include history, culture, and street art.

Meanwhile, 29% of Chinese travelers said that they want to spend time indulging in nature-based activities, like hiking and tourism.

On the other hand, not many respondents wanted to spend their time luxury shopping. This is why only 17% favored this option.