The number of Chinese visiting the UK is set to almost double in the
next four years, helped by the lure of football’s Premier League,
VisitBritain has told Sky News Online.
An extra 100,000 people from China are expected to come to the UK by
2014 – a rise of 89%.
Paul Eastham, a spokesman for VisitBritain, told Sky the pull of
top-flight football is a key attraction for Chinese coming to the UK.
He added: ‘Things like Premier League matches have taken off in China,
attracting audiences in the millions. There is a keenness of the
Chinese to see the game in this country.
‘Manchester United created an affinity credit card. It’s the biggest
thing of its kind in China.’
Football club affinity credit cards are issued by a bank in
partnership with a football club and the design features the team’s
colours and emblem.