Travel services provider Ctrip.com International Ltd. has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with the government of Sicily to help the Mediterranean island attract more Chinese visitors.
The Chinese company offers travel services, including accommodation bookings, transportation ticketing, packaged tours and more. Ctrip's platform has more than 300 million users in China.
The partnership is expected to boost the number of Chinese arrivals in Italy. A total of 26,418 Chinese tourists visited Sicily in 2018, up 25% compared to 2017, according to the Region of Sicily.
Ctrip said it will promote the Italian island's tourism destinations and local experiences, from seaside resorts and medical spas to food and wine tours and art and history itineraries.
Ctrip signed similar tourism deals with Europe, Hungary, Japan, Western Australia, Israel, France and South Korea, among others, in the past.