Passengers at the Beijing Daxing International Airport on October 11, 2023 Photo: Li Hao/GT

The number of travelers from China to the UK and Ireland has bounced back, embassy data has showed, reflecting robust growth in terms of commerce, trade and personal exchanges.

"In the first six months of this year alone we've issued more than 228,000 visas to Chinese nationals," said Geraldine McCafferty, deputy head of mission with British Embassy in Beijing recently.

The data was followed by Irish Embassy in Beijing, as Barry Mulligan, deputy head of mission with the embassy, said from January to October this year, 41percent of visa applications were accepted in Beijing.

"We are seeing a return to pre-pandemic visa applications with 2023 figures almost in line with our 2019 levels. This will allow our two countries to continue to grow our partnerships in commerce, trade and education as well as promoting Ireland as a tourism destination," Mulligan said. 

Last week, the new and upgraded center for UK and Ireland by VFS Global was unveiled in Beijing, which will process 1,300 applications on a daily basis, a significant increase from previous processing capacity. 

Data from VFS Global showed that as of June in 2023, the UK and Ireland visa application volume had recovered to 57 percent and 89 percent, respectively, compared to the corresponding period in 2019. 

The UK and Ireland were listed among the third group of destinations for outbound group tours released by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism in August this year, which are believed to further lift visa applications for Chinese travelers. 

Global Times