UK should ease visa rules for Chinese, official says  

英國旅游業遭遇低谷 財政大臣呼吁吸引中國游客

英國旅游景點協會(Association of Leading Visitor Attractions)9日公布的統計數據顯示，今年英國的旅游業遭遇低谷，即使在倫敦奧運會期間，一些熱點景區也只接待了去年同期60%的游客，主要原因是今年夏季“惡劣的天氣”.

London (CNS) – Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne on Tuesday called for a loosened visa policy for Chinese tourists, citing figures that showed plummeting visitor numbers this year to many of the UK's top tourist spots.

Even during the Olympic Games, some popular attractions in London hosted 60 percent fewer visitors, according to the data released by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions.

Chinese visitors tend to spend an average three times more than other overseas visitors, but often choose other European countries because of more relaxed visa procedures.

Osborne said the UK may allow wealthy Chinese tourists to obtain visas more easily.