Europe awaits more visitors from China

The number of Chinese tourists traveling to Europe this year is expected to surge, thanks to loosened visa application procedures and an increase in the number of tour packages provided, a tourism expert said.

European destinations have always attached significance to Chinese visitors, and as tourism authorities in European countries further facilitate visa application procedures, it is believed more Chinese tourists will flock to the continent, said Yang Jinsong, a professor at the China Tourism Academy who focuses on international tourism.

"Many European countries have further removed the obstacles in visa procedures, including reducing the application time and simplifying the material that tourists must submit to the consulate," Yang said. "No one wants to be left behind in carving up China's economic pie."