A new report says Cumbria is reaping the rewards of ties with China.

The China Dividend: Two Years In report has tracked the economic, cultural and social benefits that have been felt across the county and the north in the two years since direct flights began between Manchester Airport and Beijing.

The study, launched at the British Embassy in Beijing this morning, was carried out by independent consultants Steer Davis Gleave.

Its findings include:

  • Windermere Lake Cruises has seen Chinese tour group bookings increase by 286 per cent since June 2016.
  • English Lakes Hotels Resorts and Venues has reported 85 per cent increase in Chinese visitors across the hotel group this year.
  • Average visitor spend in the North West is 94 per cent up vs last year.
  • In 2017 there were 58,000 visits from China to the North West and a total spend of £125m.
  • The Manchester-Beijing route has grown faster than any other UK-China route that has been in operation for more than 12 months.
  • Export values from Manchester Airport to China grew 41 per cent to £1.29bn in the two years after route launch, while national values fell 30 per cent.

Jennifer Cormack, of The Lake District China Forum, said: "The Lake District has seen incredible growth in the number of tourists from China since 2016, creating jobs and bringing success to our local businesses.

"Having a direct flight from Beijing into Manchester has opened an entirely new itinerary for Chinese visitors, as we see more independent travellers, students and group tours wanting to experience The Lake District during their stay in the UK."

Joe Cobb, of the Lake District Country Hotels and chair of the Lake District Hoteliers Forum, said: “There is clearly a positive impact. Trying to quantify it could be tricky however as not all of our guests state their address and there are shortfalls in our booking system.

"The information that is available to me however, suggests that room nights from year to year have almost doubled at one of our properties and the others have shown strong growth.

“In my opinion, the enhancement of the routes from China to Manchester, have a strong correlation to growth in average room rates within the Lake District.

"We know that the Chinese market are the highest spenders per capita and clearly have a strong affiliation with the UK and the Lake District in particular. Business is often London-centric, so for Manchester Airport to be able to open doors, it is greatly appreciated and well received during this difficult period for hospitality businesses.”

Barry Leahey, managing director of Playdale Playgrounds in Haverthwaite, said: “Playdale now exports to 49 countries around the world. However, despite having no orders from China prior to the direct route launch, it is now a major market for us, with a tenth of all exports going to China.

"We have seen a 30 per cent increase in exports to China this year and our work includes the Olympic Park Playground in Beijing which has been featured by CCTV and China Weekly.”

The report was launched at an event hosted by the Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for China, Richard Burn.

He said: "This report demonstrates the clear benefits of direct UK-China linkages for facilitating flows of trade, investment and people between our two countries. I’m delighted to see Manchester and the surrounding region benefit so much from this flight connection to Beijing.”

Zheng Xiyuan, Consul General, People’s Republic of China in Manchester, said:

“It is an exciting time of opportunity in the golden era of China-UK relations. I am delighted to have recently taken up the post of the Consul General for the People’s Republic of China in Manchester.

“With our ever-closer social, economic, and cultural links, the North of England is well placed to collaborate with China on major strategic opportunities spearheaded by the Belt and Road Initiative. I look forward to seeing a closer China-UK relationship bringing prosperity to the people of both nations.”

President Xi announced the Manchester-Beijing route, with Hainan Airlines, during his state visit to the UK in October 2015, with the service starting in June 2016.

The China Dividend report predicts rapid growth in demand for travel to the UK, as the Chinese economy continues to expand.

It suggests Manchester – and the wider North – is well placed to capitalise on this, with a wealth of natural, cultural, sporting and economic assets that appeal to the Chinese traveller.

But it underlines the importance of the UK being seen to be “open for business,” in terms of encouraging the stimulation of further air links, maintaining an welcoming visa process and investing in technology that improves the visitor experience.

The study points to the importance of large-scale investment in Northern transport infrastructure, to ensure all parts of the North benefit fully from the existence of direct routes, while stimulating fresh air connectivity by increasing the catchment area of Manchester Airport.

The study compiles findings from both British and Chinese economic consultancies and was commissioned by the Manchester-China Forum, set up in 2013 to forge closer links between the two locations.