Loch’s monster hit with China

THE lure of the Loch Ness monster is set to spearhead a drive to open up a potentially lucrative new market with holiday- makers from China.

A delegation of six high-ranking politicians from Benxi – a principal city in a region of China with a population of 44 million residents – has arrived in the Highlands for a whistle-stop tour of Loch Ness and other main tourism attractions in the area, which could lead to a Chinese tourism boom in the north of Scotland.

The influential Chinese delegation, which has the power to promote destinations, made a special request to see the area after a visit from Inverness tourism representatives in 2008.

The delegates are spending 24 hours in the Highlands as part of a European trip aimed at building links with key destinations, including London and Paris.

Scotland has been awarded approved destination status under the Chinese government’s travel regulations.

Co-promotion agreements for tourism were signed three years ago between Benxi and representatives of the Highlands and Loch Ness Marketing Group, which has amalgamated with the Destination Loch Ness initiative.

Nicol Manson, a member of the Destination Loch Ness board who is leading the welcoming committee for the tour, explained that the visit was the result of ongoing contact between the two regions since the visit to Benxi in 2008.

He said: “We have long known that the Chinese tourism market holds massive potential, both in terms of the sheer size of the population and the spending power of those who travel.

“We intend to use this visit as an opportunity to show the Chinese delegates the best of all that Loch Ness and Inverness have to offer and to cement the co-promotion agreements already in place.”

A spokeswoman for Destination Loch Ness added: “The emergence from recession and a simplification of the process for residents of the Chinese region to obtain visas have created good conditions for the partners to now move forward with plans.

“The Highlands and Loch Ness Marketing Group was highly instrumental in gaining an approved destination status, previously unavailable in the Benxi area, through lobbying Scottish and UK government politicians.”

The Benxi delegation began its tour at the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre, where Mandarin language audio tours are available.

After lunching on haggis, the Chinese politicians went to Urquhart Castle and its visitor centre, before sailing on the loch for what was described as a “little monster spotting”.