Plush toys of Paris 2024 Olympics mascot Phryge are on display for sale at a licensed merchandise store in Shanghai. Photo: IC

As the 2024 Paris Olympic Games unfolds, the sports gala has become a source of heightened people-to-people exchanges as Chinese tourists descend on the "City of Light" in massive numbers that will create new opportunities for both countries.

"My whole family landed in Paris on Friday, and I was struck by the Chinese-themed advertisements in the city. They were visible not only on taxis and buses but also in metro stations and other places, showcasing a blend of Chinese and French corporate culture," a tourist surnamed Zhang told the Global Times on Sunday.

Zhang, a financial worker in London together with a diverse team of international colleagues, said that deeper cultural integration is of great help to doing businesses.

"I saw many Chinese men and women visiting Paris' museums, with a notable number being young people," another sightseer in Paris who would only give his first name as Thomas told the Global Times on Sunday. The streets around La Vallée Village, a main shopping area, were vibrant with throngs of Chinese visitors, Thomas added.

Vibrant cultural exchange

Even as the hosting of the Paris Olympics has significantly raised the costs of traveling in the city, many Chinese are still drawn to Paris, with new consumption patterns observed by local tourist organizations.

A manager from Mandarin Voyages, a Paris-based Chinese-owned travel agency, told the Global Times that, from January 2023 to July 2024, there had been an increasing number of tourists from the Chinese mainland that engage in a wide variety of cultural exchange activities in Paris.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations and the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism.

"In addition to sightseeing and shopping, we currently receive many Chinese groups visiting Paris, including academic study tours, business trips and cultural exchanges," the manager said.

And, Chinese tourists have noted that during their stay in Paris, they have found that the Olympic Games is creating new opportunities for expanding China-France trade.

"For out Chinese tourists, we have a penchant for purchasing souvenirs from major festivals and events," Zhang Zheyu, a Chinese tourist flying in from Germany, told the Global Times.

Chinese online travel platforms are now reporting a surge in travel bookings to Paris and other European destinations, with online travel agency Qunar.com revealing a 240-percent increase in international flight bookings to Paris and a 100-percent rise in bookings for Paris-based hotels, from July 27 to August 31.

China Eastern Airlines, a major operator of air links between China and France, has witnessed a 3.94-percent month-on-month increase in the number of passenger turnover during July 1 to 18, according to a statement the airline sent to the Global Times on Sunday.

A boost in trade

Besides the participation to the Paris Olympics by a host of Chinese corporate sponsors such as global cloud services provider Alibaba Cloud, Chinese dairy firm Mengniu, as well as equipment supplier such as Shandong-based TaiShan Sports, the sales of other manufactured goods have also seen a boost as Made-in-China takes center stage at the gala event.

The 2024 Paris Olympics have brought massive orders to Chinese manufacturers, with some 80 percent of the "Phryge" mascot dolls being made by Chinese companies, the CGTN reported on Thursday, citing the Paris Organizing Committee.

As the Paris Olympic Games officially kicks off, a growing number of Chinese goods are being exported to France at an accelerated speed.

Helped by the Olympics, the exports of Chinese tea to France surged 31.77 percent in the first six months year-on-year to reach 1,867.76 tons, according to an article posted on the WeChat account of the China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation on Thursday.

Since June, air freight cargo volume from Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province to Paris has increased by 65 percent year-on-year, according to the China Southern Airlines. 

The French market has seen a strong demand for cross-border e-commerce goods from China, including mobile phone accessories and fast fashion apparel, which are favored by local consumers.

Two-way investment

In addition to these emerging trends, observers said as the Chinese and French economies enjoy a high degree of complementarity, a wide range of sectors are expected to benefit from the enhanced people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.

"The Olympic Games has a powerful sway in China. A good number of Chinese people have visited France in person and millions more will watch it on TV and become more familiar with French culture and French products, paving way for broader economic and trade cooperation between the two countries," Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research Institute, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Zhang said the two countries can explore more opportunities emerging in cross-border e-commerce, digital cooperation, and services sector such as entertainment, banking and medical care.

In addition to China's steadily rising investment in France, French companies have also been expanding their footprint in China.

French sports brand Decathlon has recently revealed plans to add 20 to 30 new shops a year in China in the coming two years, eyeing a more niche, mid- to high-end market, according to a report by Beijing Business Today in mid-July.

An executive with France-based fermentation company Lesaffre told the Global Times that "the potential of the Chinese market is limitless and the Chinese economy remains the world's largest engine of development" last week during an event marking the 100-day countdown to the 7th edition of the China International Import Expo, one of the largest trade shows China hosts on an annual basis.

And, French banking group BNP Paribas recently established a wholly owned securities firm in Shanghai, becoming the fourth foreign financial institution to set up a wholly owned brokerage in the Chinese mainland, the Securities Daily reported last week.