VisitScotland guide gives hospitality tips for new wave of Chinese visitors

Published on Saturday 15 May 2010 20:30

FORGET the shortbread, ditch the cranachan and definitely don't sell them souvenirs made in their own backyard. If you want to successfully cater for the new wave of tourists in Scotland, get in the chopsticks, the green tea, and learn the correct Mandarin Chinese for "full Scottish breakfast".

A new online guide has been launched by VisitScotland that aims to help tourism businesses cope with the increasing number of Chinese holidaymakers flocking to the country.

Its tips include recommending that hotels keep a supply of instant noodles, tourist attractions provide audio guides in Mandarin, and restaurants take creamy courses off the menu as they "may be considered too rich".

About 12,000 Chinese visitors already visit Scotland every year, contributing about 7million to the Scottish economy, but as the Chinese middle classes grow along with their wealth, many more are expected to make the trip. With a population of 1.3 billion and despite its communist background, China has become the world's fifth-biggest tourist market and has more billionaires than any other country.

It is a market VisitScotland is keen to target. "A warm welcome goes a long way with Chinese visitors", it informs businesses.

It also suggests that they may want to draw the attention of Chinese visitors' to Scottish items of particular interest, including men "in kilts," tartan, whisky, Scottish dance and special events.

The kit also includes a number of "useful phrases" translated into Simplified Chinese, including "the birthplace of tartan", "always make sure the shower curtain is inside the bath to prevent flooding", and "full Scottish breakfast".

"The Chinese market is going to be enormous for Europe and it is vital that Scotland takes advantage of this great opportunity," said Sue Crossman, project director for the Tourism Innovation Group. "If we are going to get or exceed our market share then we have got to make our Chinese guests feel as welcome as possible."

Much of the kit's advice is food-related. As well as recommending that hotels keep stocks of instant noodles, green tea and chilli sauce, it advises hotel owners that Chinese guests are likely to ask for hot or warm drinking water rather than ice cold, will want savoury dishes for breakfast, and warns that some Chinese visitors may not be impressed by Scottish dessert menus.

"Chinese desserts are very different from western desserts," it advises. "You will find some first-time travellers may not understand what they are and may not be able to finish what they order. It doesn't mean they don't like the food. An easy and popular choice will be fresh fruit salad on the menu."

In the section that covers retail businesses, it suggests that shops should label souvenirs with the words "made in Scotland", because "they don't like to travel half way around the world and buy items made in their home country."

And in what may be read as a jibe at some Scottish establishments where service is less than swift, it states: "In Asia, hotel standards are quite different from those in Europe. Visitors prefer new hotels and big lobbies. They will also be surprised to find hotels with no lift, so porterage service is important. Guests who stay in five-star hotels expect the check in process to be quick and efficient and their luggage taken care of."

Philip Riddle, chief executive of VisitScotland, said: "China is one of the key emerging markets for Scotland with a huge potential for expansion. The Chinese market offers a real opportunity for long-term focus on Scotland's strong identity and varied businesses and brands.

"For those reasons, the China Toolkit will be an indispensable online resource for those working in the Scottish tourism trade and will help to ensure that our guests from China will be eager to return."