Dutch villages, small cities look to attract more Chinese visitors

Giethoorn, an idyllic village in the northeast of the Netherlands. [Photo/IC]

Dutch cities and villages are stepping up efforts to attract more Chinese visitors, responding to the steep rise in tourists from China.

In Giethoorn, an idyllic village of just 2,600 inhabitants in the northeast of the Netherlands, two thirds of its hotel visitors are Chinese.

"We have a growing number of Chinese visitors every year," said local hotelier Gabriella Esselbrugge in an interview with Xinhua. "The Chinese think of Giethoorn as a unique place, a peaceful environment surrounded by a national park." Esselbrugge, who owns hotel-restaurant De Dames Van De Jonge, is leading the campaign to promote Giethoorn among Chinese tourists. She has already visited China five times since 2005.

Entrepreneurs in Giethoorn who are directly involved with tourism estimate that Chinese spend around 750 euros (837 U.S. dollars) per stay, contributing significantly to the total tourist spending of 29 million euros in the broader Overijssel province.