英国签证将中国顾客拒之门外

Chinese shoppers are responsible for a third of the world’s luxury sales, according to data by Bain & Co, the consultancy, and many enjoy treating themselves when travelling abroad. But the British luxury industry is missing out – and the UK government is waking up to the problem.
来自贝恩咨询公司(Bain & Co)的数据显示，中国消费者贡献了全球三分之一的奢侈品销售额，而且很多中国人在出国旅游时也喜欢购买奢侈品。但英国奢侈品行业正在错失机遇——而英国政府也开始意识到这一问题。

Bureaucracy is in the way. Chinese visitors to the UK and Europe are obliged to apply for two visas: one to visit 26 countries in Europe – known as a Schengen visa – and a second, separate visa for UK entry.
官僚主义是拦路虎。访问英国和欧洲的中国游客必须申请两个签证：一个是可以游览26个欧洲国家的申根签证(Schengen)，另一个是入境英国所需的单独签证。

Research by the UK China Visa Alliance, a lobby group, found that just 6 per cent of Chinese coming to Europe bother obtaining the additional UK visa. And why would they, when the Schengen offers passage to luxury shopping destinations such as Paris and Milan without extra paperwork?
游说组织英国对华签证联盟(UK China Visa Alliance)进行的一项研究显示，在赴欧洲旅游的中国人当中，只有6%的人费神额外申请了英国签证。既然单凭申根签证就可以去巴黎、米兰等奢侈品购物中心，而无需递交额外的申请文件，他们又有什么理由申请英国签证呢？

The UKCVA says that France attracts almost eight times more Chinese visitors than the UK.
英国对华签证联盟指出，法国吸引到的中国游客数量几乎是英国的8倍。

Nevertheless, when they do make the trip to London’s West End, Chinese shoppers spend an average of £1,688 – three times more than overseas visitors from other countries, according to data from the New West End Company, which represents businesses in the area.
然而，来自伦敦新西区公司(New West End Company)的数据显示，当中国消费者真的前往伦敦西区(West End)游览时，他们人均花费1688英镑——较来自其他国家的外国游客多出了三倍。伦敦新西区公司是这一地区商户的代表。

In 2012, the UK played host to 179,000 Chinese visitors, who spent a total of £300m, according to figures from Visit Britain.
来自英国旅游局(Visit Britain)的数据显示，2012年英国总共接待了17.9万名中国游客，这些游客在英国的消费总额高达3亿英镑。

“Chinese tourism is vital to Brand Britain,” says Mark Henderson, chairman of the London Luxury Quarter, a trade body. UK luxury industry lobbyists are acutely aware they are missing out and are trying to persuade the British government to change the visa system. Their efforts might finally pay off in 2014.
贸易组织奢华伦敦(London Luxury Quarter)的董事长马克•亨德森(Mark Henderson)表示：“中国游客对英国品牌至关重要。”英国奢侈品行业的游说者们敏锐地意识到他们正与中国失之交臂，并试图说服英国政府改变签证制度。他们的努力或许最终在2014年收到成效。

The UKCVA, founded by Walpole British Luxury, the New West End Company, Global Blue, McArthurGlen Designer Outlets and London First, has been working since 2012 to persuade the UK government of the benefits of encouraging Chinese visitors.
英国对华签证联盟是由英国奢侈品协会(Walpole British Luxury)、伦敦新西区公司、环球蓝联(Global Blue)、亚瑟格兰名品奥特莱斯(McArthurGlen Designer Outlets)以及伦敦第一(London First)共同创立的。自2012年以来，英国对华签证联盟就一直在游说英国政府，宣传鼓励中国游客来英国旅游的好处。

Last May, the alliance hosted a reception with Mark Harper, the immigration minister, at which 900 British luxury retail and hospitality businesses were invited to raise their concerns. And in October, it hosted a reception in China for tour operators.
去年5月，英国对华签证联盟与英国移民事务部长马克•哈珀(Mark Harper)共同举办了一场招待会，约有900家英国奢侈品零售商和酒店企业受邀参会，并提出自身担心的问题。去年10月，该联盟在中国举行了旅行社招待会。

A pilot scheme, launched last year, allows Chinese travellers to apply for the Schengen visa and the UK visa at the same time and place. Andrew Murphy, chairman of the UKCVA and retail director of John Lewis, is hopeful the government will roll the scheme out during 2014.
去年启动的一项试行方案允许中国游客在一张表上办理申根签证和英国签证的申请。安德鲁•墨菲(Andrew Murphy)是英国对华签证联盟的董事长，同时担任约翰•路易斯(John Lewis)的零售主管。他希望英国政府能在2014年继续推行这项方案。

“If the visa process were streamlined it could boost the economy by £1.2bn and create 24,000 jobs,” says Mr Murphy. Preliminary findings from the pilot scheme are expected soon.
墨菲指出：“如果能够简化签证流程，英国经济就会增加12亿英镑的收入，并创造2.4万个工作机会。”预计很快就会公布前述试行方案的初步结果。

David Cameron, the UK prime minister, confirmed efforts are under way to set up a permanent “joint shop window” during a visit to China last month.
英国首相戴维•卡梅伦(David Cameron)在上月访华期间证实，英国政府正在努力设立一个永久性的“联合签证窗口”。