Travel
10:25, 03-Jul-2018
Inter Milan partners with Chinese online travel agency to develop football tourism
Updated
09:59, 06-Jul-2018
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Lvmama.com, a popular Shanghai-based platform for tourism and leisure, was announced on Saturday as the Official China Travel Partner of FC Internazionale Milano (better known worldwide as Inter Milan).
According to the strategic cooperation agreement signed by the two sides, the Chinese online travel agency will work with the club to develop a series of "football-tours" for Chinese fans and tourists, that will include trips to Milan to watch the team play.
Michael Gandler, Chief Revenue Officer for Inter Milan, said that in addition to supporting the development of Lvmama's brand among Inter's passionate Chinese fan base, Lvmama will also provide reciprocal value by bringing long-distance fans a step closer to the club.
"Milan is already a beloved city for Chinese tourists, but by providing access to our matches, facilities and premium experiences, fans from throughout China can have a richer experience with our city," said Gandler.
The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, commonly known as San Siro, is a football stadium in the San Siro district of Milan, Italy, which is the home of Inter Milan. /Photo via manicaarchitecture.com
The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, commonly known as San Siro, is a football stadium in the San Siro district of Milan, Italy, which is the home of Inter Milan. /Photo via manicaarchitecture.com
The sport-tourism industry is one of the fastest growing industries in China, with a year-on-year growth rate of around 30 percent. Football fans have made large contributions to the industry.
Recently, tourism gains popularity among Chinese. According to a survey conducted by China Youth Daily, a total of 79.3 percent of Chinese respondents have taken part in sports tourism, indicating this new form of recreation is gaining popularity especially among the younger generation.
Football matches can indeed help to attract more attention to the hosting country, but more research is needed, said Li Qiuyan, public relations chief of Lvmama.
"Football tourism needs more professional market research, customer-oriented designs and qualified service to become more popular," Li said.
Chinese fans use social media more than in any other part of the world, making them a very unique part of the fan market, said Gandler. Inter Milan says it will work with other Chinese brands from different industries to showcase football culture to Chinese audiences.
Source(s): Xinhua News Agency