On 21 May, as a key component of the UK promotional campaign for the 16th “China Tourism Day” in 2026, a delegation led by Zhang Li, Director of the China National Tourists Office (CNTO) London, travelled to Glasgow, Scotland, to attend the Glasgow leg of the ANTOR (Association of National Tourist Office Representatives) tourism industry workshop.

Centred around the theme “Enjoy Quality Tourism, Journey to Beautiful Mountains and Rivers”, the event delivered in-depth presentations and networking opportunities tailored for the Scottish tourism trade. The initiative aims to further deepen tourism cooperation between China, the UK, and Scotland, while continuing to boost the growing interest among British tourists visiting China.

Held at the Hotel du Vin in Glasgow, the event was attended by representatives from national and regional tourism boards based in the UK—including China, Portugal, the Bahamas, Samoa, and Miami (USA)—alongside local Scottish travel agencies, travel consultants, and tourism media.

Representatives from CNTO London screened the promotional video “China Travel — Nihao! China” and delivered a targeted presentation. This focused on China’s 30-day visa-free policy for British citizens, alongside practical information highly sought after by the UK travel trade, such as:

• The China Travel Course
• The official tourism image library
• Digital payment solutions
• Transport infrastructure and domestic travel options

During the presentation, the Scottish tourism trade showed keen interest in Chinese tourism, engaging in active discussions regarding product development for China trips, market recovery, and visitor experiences.

Lauren Ross, Destination Manager at Gold Medal, also noted that prior to the pandemic, her company possessed an extensive range of Chinese tourism products. With the market gradually recovering in recent years, this presentation has reinforced her commitment to swiftly relaunching and enhancing their China product portfolio.

Meanwhile, several industry professionals, including Gary Reavely, Editor and Managing Director of the renowned Scottish travel trade publication Travel Matters, paid close attention to the validity period of China’s visa-free policy and whether it would be extended in the future. They engaged in deep discussions regarding entry convenience, mobile payments, rail transport, and destination experiences—issues of greatest concern to British travellers.

Attendees generally agreed that the Chinese tourism market is revitalising, with interest among British tourists rebounding significantly. In particular, the introduction of the visa-free policy has enhanced the convenience of spontaneous travel, greatly boosting China’s appeal as a destination. The event maintained a vibrant networking atmosphere, with numerous tour operators expressing their desire to strengthen cooperation with the Chinese tourism sector to actively develop more in-depth travel products suitable for the UK market.

The event attracted over 50 representatives from Scottish and British travel organisations, including Barrhead Travel, TUI, Gold Medal, Travel Counsellors, Pure Luxury Holidays, Stewart Travel, and Vista Travel.

During the visit, Director Zhang Li and his delegation also paid official visits to the Glasgow Tourism Board and related tourism promotion agencies, holding working discussions with Anne-Marie Gray, Tourism and Sustainability Manager at Glasgow Life, and Anna Young, Head of Tourism Marketing for Glasgow, among others. The two sides engaged in in-depth communication regarding the recovery of the Chinese and Scottish tourism markets, city tourism promotion, growth trends in international visitors, and future opportunities for collaboration.

During the meetings, both sides outlined their recent tourism marketing efforts and flagship campaigns, exchanging views on how to further enhance destination publicity, boost two-way visitor flows, and deepen cultural and tourism exchanges.

The Scottish side noted that the importance of Chinese tourists to the Scottish market has continued to rise in recent years. Glasgow attaches great importance to exchange and cooperation with the Chinese tourism industry and hopes to strengthen ties with the Chinese market in the future.

The Chinese side provided updates on China’s ongoing expansion of high-level opening-up, measures to facilitate inbound tourism, and the continuous heating up of the UK-to-China travel market.

Both parties agreed that tourism is not only a vital sector for industrial cooperation but also a crucial bridge for fostering mutual understanding and deepening cultural exchange. Moving forward, both sides expressed a shared willingness to maintain close communication and explore further opportunities in marketing, industry networking, and market collaboration to jointly drive the continuous development of tourism exchanges between China and Scotland.

This Glasgow promotional event forms part of a broader UK campaign rolled out by CNTO London to mark the 2026 “China Tourism Day”. Prior to this, the office had successfully conducted tourism presentations, industry exchanges, and high-street travel agency window displays in cities such as London and Manchester. These initiatives have further expanded the reach and influence of the “Nihao! China” national tourism brand across the UK market, driving the sustained recovery of British tourism to China.