On the evening of 3 March 2026, coinciding with the Lantern Festival of the Chinese lunar Year of the Horse, the Sheraton Hotel in the heart of the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, was filled with a strong Chinese New Year atmosphere.

The China Inbound Tourism Promotion Conference and Scottish Travel Trade Familiarisation (FAM) Trip Sharing Session, jointly hosted by the China National Tourist Office (CNTO) London, Hainan Airlines, and Edinburgh Airport Group, was successfully held here. Zhang Li, Director of CNTO London; Han Zhi, General Manager of Hainan Airlines UK; and Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport Group, delivered speeches successively. Nearly 100 representatives from the UK-China tourism industry, travel operators, and media professionals were invited to attend, including the Deputy Mayor of Edinburgh, Lezley Marion Cameron; the President of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, Alan Glen; and Senior Manager at VisitScotland, Gillian Lermans. They gathered in a warm and harmonious atmosphere to explore new opportunities for tourism cooperation with China.

The venue was decorated with traditional Chinese festival elements, where red lanterns and the character ‘Fu’ (fortune) beautifully complemented each other. Chinese intangible cultural heritage artworks, such as Shaanxi paper cuttings and hand-embroidered auspicious horse-shaped scented sachets, attracted guests to stop and admire. Over 20 photographs showcasing China’s magnificent landscapes formed the ‘Nihao! China’ photo exhibition surrounding the hall, allowing attendees to immersively experience the unique charm of Chinese culture and tourism.

The promotion conference commenced with a festive and lively traditional lion dance performance. The lion dance troupe circled the venue before unfurling a large red banner reading ‘Happy New Year’, winning rounds of applause from the audience and setting a warm and peaceful tone for the entire event.

In his address, Zhang Li, Director of CNTO London, stated that cultural exchanges between China and the UK are becoming increasingly close, and the bonds of friendship between the two peoples continue to be consolidated. China’s implementation of a unilateral 30-day visa-free policy for UK citizens, effective from 17 February, will greatly facilitate travel, business, and family visits to China. He warmly welcomed friends from all walks of life in the UK to visit China to enjoy the magnificent landscapes, experience the honest folk customs, and appreciate the profound heritage of Chinese civilisation, thereby promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields.

He also emphasised that Scotland and China have long maintained close exchanges and cooperation, bringing tangible benefits to both peoples. ‘Relations between states depend on the affinity between their peoples;’ tourism exchange is the most direct and sincere way to enhance mutual understanding. He hoped both sides would work together to elevate cultural and tourism exchanges between China and Scotland, as well as China and the UK, to a new level, using travel to enhance understanding and exchanges to build a solid foundation of friendship, ensuring the friendly ties between the two peoples are passed down and remain strong over time.

Han Zhi, General Manager of Hainan Airlines UK, introduced the layout and development of Hainan Airlines’ Sino-British route network. He stated that in recent years, Hainan Airlines has continuously improved its UK-China route layout, building a convenient air corridor for personnel exchanges between the two countries. Notably, the direct flight route from Edinburgh to Beijing will increase its frequency to a daily service starting 2 July 2026, injecting stronger momentum into the Scottish market for tourism and cooperation with China.

Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport Group, pointed out in his speech that with the expansion of aviation networks and the optimisation of China’s visa policies, China is becoming a highly attractive tourist and business destination. He specifically praised the convenience that Hainan Airlines’ direct flight services bring to Scottish passengers travelling to China, encouraging local travel operators and tourists to gain a deeper understanding of China and travel there for tourism and business, further promoting personnel exchanges and cooperation between the two nations.

Subsequently, Pan Hang, Assistant Director of CNTO London, delivered a special presentation on Chinese tourism, detailing China’s rich World Heritage resources, the continuously expanding Sino-British aviation network, and the comprehensive modern high-speed rail system, outlining a convenient, diverse, and attractive picture of travel in China for the guests present.

The climax of the event saw representatives of the Scottish travel trade FAM trip to China, jointly organised by the three parties in November 2025, share their personal experiences from their trip, recounting the awe and touching moments brought about by their journey.

Alan Glen, President of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, shared his observations from Hangzhou: ‘My deepest impression of China is the rapid development of technology. In the Wensan Road Digital Block in Hangzhou, we personally experienced digital life scenarios, watched robot performances, and felt the payment convenience brought by Alipay. Hangzhou is undoubtedly a model for future urban development.’

Paul Greenhill, Director of D.P.& L Travel, marvelled at the prosperity of the Bund in Shanghai and specifically mentioned the large-scale popularisation of electric vehicles in China: ‘The city streets are very quiet; you can hardly hear the noise and honking of cars.’ He also revealed that he is seriously considering purchasing a Chinese electric vehicle, ‘perhaps a BYD Seal, or I might wait for Xiaomi cars to launch in the UK.’

Hilary Douglas, Director of Travel Matter magazine, passionately shared her emotional experience from her Beijing trip: ‘When I climbed the Mutianyu Great Wall, a deep sense of awe surged within me. Faced with this miracle of human civilisation, I couldn’t help but shed tears.’

Linda Armit, Sales Director at Barrhead Travel, highly praised the excellent value for money of shopping in China. She humorously remarked: ‘On this trip, I bought handicrafts, a hairdryer, clothes, and more. I stuffed two suitcases full and only spent a few hundred pounds in total. Next time I go, I must bring an empty suitcase.’

All the guest speakers spoke highly of the friendliness and warmth of the Chinese people. They noted that the Chinese students they met during their trip were friendly and outgoing, taking the initiative to greet them in English. A group of secondary school students they happened to meet at the Forbidden City even enthusiastically invited them to take group photos; these heart-warming moments were unforgettable. The guests’ sincere and humorous accounts made the attendees feel as though they were there themselves. Gasps of admiration and bursts of laughter frequently echoed through the venue, pushing the atmosphere of the event to its peak.

Representatives of the event’s sponsors, including Wharf Hotels (Hong Kong) and Century Cruises (China), also took the stage to give presentations, introducing their respective unique tourism products and services.

The entire promotion conference received high recognition from Scottish travel operators. Paulina Luza, Director of Not Just Travel, admitted: ‘I didn’t know much about China before, but tonight’s presentations and sharing have opened my eyes.’

To enhance the Chinese New Year atmosphere, the organisers carefully prepared special delicacies such as dumplings, tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls), and Chinese tea beer for the guests to taste. Towards the end of the event, multiple rounds of lucky draws brought the atmosphere to another climax, with generous prizes such as UK-China return flight tickets provided by Hainan Airlines, Century Cruises tickets, and Marco Polo Hotel room vouchers being given out. After tasting the tangyuan, which symbolises reunion, the promotion conference concluded successfully in a warm and enthusiastic atmosphere.

During the networking session following the event, many Scottish travel operators expressed that China’s rich and diverse cultural and tourism resources provide vast space for the development of tourism products. With the implementation of the visa-free policy and the improvement of Sino-British aviation connections, China is becoming a destination of interest for an increasing number of British tourists. While conversing with staff from CNTO London, several travel operators expressed their desire to participate in the next batch of FAM trips to China. They noted that experiencing China first-hand would give them more confidence in promoting Chinese tourism products to their clients, helping more British tourists embark on a journey to China.

This promotion conference not only deepened the Scottish tourism industry’s understanding of China’s tourism resources and stimulated local enthusiasm for developing the Chinese tourism market, but also laid a solid foundation for further deepening cooperation between the two sides in the tourism sector in the future.