New direct Hong Kong-Manchester flights spur search for Putonghua speakers in English city
Cathay's new direct link from Hong Kong expected to draw even more mainlanders
New direct flights between Hong Kong and Britain have landed business leaders there with a problem - how to get their hands on enough Putonghua speakers in Manchester.
Cathay Pacific last week launched a four-flights-a-week service between the two cities that is hoped to bring economic benefits to both.
Managers at Britain's biggest shopping mall, the Trafford Centre, have been preparing for the influx of Chinese visitors by teaching staff the language.
And now they are on the lookout for more Putonghua speakers as they attempt to show that the English city has more to offer than its famous soccer teams.
The first non-stop flight from Manchester took off last Monday, making it the first airport outside London to offer a non-stop direct route to China.
Chinese tourists already represent 50 per cent of Manchester's income from tax-free shopping, spending an average of £677 (HK$8,250) per transaction last year. And with the new flights that figure is set to soar.
Such is the spending power of the Chinese that the city's Harvey Nichols and Selfridges stores have installed China UnionPay terminals so people can pay with mainland credit cards.