Lufthansa strengthens ties with China as visa-free policy boosts travel

Lufthansa Group reinforced its trust in the Chinese market on Wednesday, predicting strong growth in travel between China and Europe following visa-free entry for numerous European countries.

Frank Naeve, senior vice president of sales and distribution at Lufthansa Group, said that China is "a strategically important market" for one of Europe's leading airline groups. He pointed to a gradual rebound in both business and leisure travel.

"The visa-free policy is an enabler for travel," said Naeve. "The future of travel is to make it as seamless and easy as possible, and removing a visa requirement is an important step forward."

Lufthansa sees "significant potential" in China. "We believe that this market has a promising future. Business travel remains important, and we are seeing a recovery in leisure travel," he said.

On Wednesday, the airline inked a memorandum of understanding with Trip.Biz, the business travel arm of Shanghai's Trip.com company. The agreement seeks to strengthen booking and digital services for business clients in China.

Executives from both companies emphasized the increased need for corporate travel. Trip.Biz reported that the number of business travelers booking overseas flights has surged in recent months as a result of the visa-free policy.

Lufthansa has been operating in China for nearly a century. The group has passenger, cargo, and maintenance companies in the country, and has adjusted its products to local needs, including Chinese-speaking staff and customized onboard services.

Lufthansa launched its newest cabin products, Allegris, on the Shanghai-Munich route in August, making Shanghai the first Asian destination for the new products.

Swiss International Air Lines, part of the Lufthansa Group, has started hiring more Chinese flight attendants. According to Naeve, both reflect the importance of the market.

Lufthansa operates direct flights from Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong to over 300 destinations globally, with hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich and Vienna.