China Tourism Academy signed an agreement with the Italian city of Bologna in Beijing on Wednesday to carry out research on Chinese tourists' habits and needs.

Dai Bin, the academy's director, said the research will help the northern Italian city "to improve its services and better meet the demands of Chinese tourists", thereby attracting more to visit.

According to Dai, Chinese tourists have changed their habits in recent years and no longer travel to several European countries during one trip, preferring instead to stay in one country or city for a longer period.

Matteo Lepore, deputy mayor of Bologna, said the city, with its long history, rich culture and delicious food, is a worthwhile destination for Chinese tourists.

It also has the oldest university in Europe, which now hosts about 1,000 students from China, he added.

Dai suggested starting a direct flight from China to Bologna to encourage tourism, supplemented by chartered planes and closer cooperation between travel agencies from both sides.