A delegation of 120 senior travel and tourism professionals from China is visiting Dublin this weekend.

(From left to right) Gao Zhongyin, Head of Delegation and Director General of Shaanxi Provincial Tourism Development Commission, Ceann Comhairle Seán ó Fearghail, Dr Yue Xiaoyong, Chinese Ambassador to Ireland and Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, at China Tourism Night in Dublin.

Representing 19 different provincial tourism administrations around China, the visiting group is here to attend China Tourism Night, which took place in Dublin Friday. The event was organized by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), the Chinese government authority responsible for the development of tourism.

The event involved workshops and a networking dinner, where the visiting Chinese group had the opportunity to share knowledge, experience and best practices with their Irish counterparts. It also was an excellent opportunity to build relationships between the tourism industries in Ireland and China. Similar events have taken place in London, in 2014 and 2016.

Dr Yue Xiaoyong, Chinese Ambassador to Ireland, as well as Ceann Comhairle Seán ó Fearghail, the speaker of the Dáil éireann, the lower house of Ireland's parliament, were in attendance.

“I am delighted that the China National Tourism Administration has chosen Dublin for its 2017 China Tourism Night,” said Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland. “The event and the visit provide an excellent opportunity to showcase Dublin and Ireland to this influential group of Chinese travel professionals. We look forward to working even more closely with the CNTA and regional Chinese tourism bodies in 2018, the special EU-China Year of Tourism.”

China is an important emerging travel market and one that Tourism Ireland is committed to growing over the coming years. According to the latest data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, China is now the world’s largest outbound travel market – with 122 million people traveling overseas last year, spending about $261 billion.

Tourism Ireland has a strong network in China, with offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Chengdu. The organization's activity in China involves establishing and building relationships with influential intermediaries, including the travel trade, airlines and media – highlighting Ireland's natural attractions, cities, castles and proximity to Britain. The Chinese version of Tourism Ireland’s international website is www.ireland.com/zh-cn. Social media is increasingly important in helping to raise awareness of Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland in this mobile-dominant country.