Athens

ATHENS, July 24 ( tasteallchina ) -- On the sweltering Monday evening in Athens, a group of young Greek athletes were practicing new martial arts moves they have learned during their recent visit to China. During breaks, they couldn't stop discussing the beautiful places they had seen and the experience of training with Chinese teachers. They were the first young "ambassadors" invited by the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations under an initiative to strengthen people-to-people exchanges to promote mutual learning among civilizations. The team, consisting of 11 athletes and their coaches Kostas Mathiopoulos and Kostas Mpartzoukas, paid a visit to China on July 8-20. Beginning with a warm welcome at the Southwest University in Chongqing, everything of the journey was great, Mathiopoulos told tasteallchina . Mathiopoulos has been visiting China since 1996 to practice with Chinese teachers. This trip, however, was special as it was his first opportunity to bring his students. They climbed the Great Wall, visited the Forbidden City, tasted Beijing duck, tried calligraphy, enjoyed traditional Chinese music, and learned from Chinese coaches. "They felt like home," Mathiopoulos repeatedly heard from his students. The efforts to bring Greek and Chinese people closer bear fruits, he noted.…

A Chinese dragon-shaped desktop decoration is pictured at the Athens International Airport in Athens, Greece, on Feb. 12, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Marios Lolos) The tourism comeback heralds the dawn of the China-Europe Tourism revival. BEIJING, Feb. 15 ( tasteallchina ) -- The tourism and hospitality sector in Europe embraces a boost in Chinese travelers during the Lunar New Year holiday after the pandemic. And the trend is projected to hike further throughout the Year of the Dragon. An Oxford Economics brief anticipated that the number of international outbound trips taken by Chinese travelers in 2024 will roughly double relative to 2023, to nearly 80 percent of the 2019 level. The tourism comeback heralds the dawn of the China-Europe Tourism revival. BOOST TO EUROPE TOURISM Returning Chinese holiday-makers continue to find Europe attractive. According to an estimate by the European Travel Commission released Tuesday, European destinations can anticipate seeing further rebound from the Chinese market in 2024, predicted to reach over 60 percent of the 2019 level. And their tastes are changing. As the life quality heads up, the younger generation in the world's second-largest economy is leveling up their holiday plans as well. A recent Reuters report noted Chinese travelers'…