Organizers declare opening a success despite protests as they prepare for 20 million visitors

Organizers have hailed the opening of Expo Milan 2015 as a success, saying the number of people who visited the fair on the opening weekend exceeded their expectations.

The organizers' upbeat mood about the opening contrasts with the shadow cast over it on May 1 when there were protests in which cars were torched, windows smashed and demonstrators clashed with police, who used water cannon and tear gas.

Organizers of the Milan Expo, seen here being officially opened on May 1, estimate that 20 million people will attend the event, which lasts until Oct 31. Provided to China Daily

Italy's national news agency ANSA said that in the first three days of the expo, up to 650,000 people toured the 1.1 million square meter exhibition on the outskirts of Milan.

"These are record figures," said the Mayor of Milan, Giuliano Pisapia.

No figures were available on how many of the visitors were from China.

The Milan Expo has the theme of Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. It is expected to serve as a magnet for attracting many Chinese tourists to Italy, particularly in July.

Organizers say they expect 20 million visitors at the expo, which lasts until the end of October, including 1 million Chinese.

The Italian embassy in Beijing estimates that 800,000 Milan Expo tickets have been sold in China. To cope with the influx of Chinese who want to visit the expo, the embassy has sped up the visa application process, meaning a visa can be obtained within 36 hours, the embassy says.

"It is difficult to know exactly how many people have requested a visa just to attend the expo," says Giovanni Brignone, spokesman for the embassy.

However, in the first three months of the year the number of applications for tourist visas was 25 percent higher than normal, he says.

"And we expect this number to increase in June and July because this is when schools close and families have more days to travel."

The embassy issued 400,000 tourist visas in China last year, he says.

Estimating the number of Chinese who will attend the expo is made all the more difficult by the fact that many Chinese tourists like to book tour packages that allow them access to other European countries too, he says.

China, Italy's third-largest trading partner, has three pavilions at the expo, one national and two corporate.

Pisapia says Milan learned a lot from Shanghai, where the last expo, in 2010, was held.

To better serve Chinese visitors, Milan has put a lot of thoughts into accommodation and cultural and social activities.

The Italian airline Alitalia has reopened a direct route between Shanghai and Milan for the duration of the expo. Hotels, restaurants and retailers in Italy are also gearing up to welcome Chinese visitors and make them feel more at home.

Chinese Friendly Italy, a network of travel operators set up to attract more Chinese visitors, says its members have recruited Mandarin-speaking staff.

"We know all the effort we have put into this is welcomed by Chinese tourists," says Giancarlo Dall'Ara, CEO of Chinese Friendly Italy.

"That includes a kettle in hotel rooms so they can drink hot water."

A number of Italian travel operators and agents, together with hoteliers, have proposed travel options for Chinese tourists, ranging from tours to the country's largest cities, to tailor-made holidays, visits to smaller cities and packages related to wine-tasting, shopping and sports, Dall'Ara says.

"We believe that the Milan Expo is a really good opportunity for Italy to develop Chinese tourism to the country. The Shanghai Expo demonstrated that Chinese people have a strong interest in these events."

Dong Ming, 34, from Beijing, says he will be in Italy on business this month and plans to visit the expo.

He is keen to make a comparison between the Milan expo and the one in Shanghai, which he visited, he says.

Many travel agencies in China are including the expo in their European tour offerings. Ctrip.com International Inc, the largest online travel agency in China, says the expo has resulted in more flight tickets from China to Milan being sold.

But a representative for the site said it has not noticed any big increase in airfares between China and Europe this month.

"However, figures show that the prices of hotels in Milan have increased. This month the prices for four-star hotels rooms are double what they were a year ago."

Wang Wen contributed to this story.

Contact the writers through mengjing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 05/08/2015 page19)