Visitors set to celebrate New Year worldwide

(China Daily USA) Updated: 2015-02-19 12:21

A German lion dancer performs prior to the "Happy Chinese New Year" evening gala to celebrate the Chinese traditional lunar New Year, or Spring Festival at the entrance of Berlin's Red City Hall in Berlin, Germany, on Feb. 24, 2015. [Xinhua/Zhang Fan]

Global destinations seek to lure Chinese tourists with a wide range of Lunar New Year attractions

Chinese tourists will be able to celebrate Spring Festival, regardless of where they are, as the world prepares for next week's celebrations.

Red decorations, including lanterns and paper-cuts, and "Happy New Year" banners in Chinese will abound in foreign cities in coming days so that Chinese tourists and expatriates can welcome the Year of the Ram.

At shopping areas in London's airports, including Heathrow, many luxury brands have set up Chinese signs and advertising to attract visitors from China.

Spring Festival, which falls on Feb 19 this year, is already in full swing at shopping malls in central London, which are featuring a range of sheep or ram toys and decorations. Teams of shopping guides who can speak Chinese are ready to offer help.

Wu Qing, a Chinese visitor in her 40s, said, "It seems like I'm shopping in Beijing because there are so many Spring Festival decorations and Chinese guides."

Zhang Ping, who has lived in Britain for 10 years, said the Spring Festival atmosphere in London is much stronger.

She said Chinese culture's popularity is one of the reasons behind the rise in Spring Festival popularity in London, but added that British shopping malls and hotels are aiming to attract Chinese visitors.

"They are making these arrangements because they covet Chinese visitors' wallets," Zhang said.