Edinburgh sees in Year of the Rooster with largest-ever Chinese New Year celebrations

A Gala Chinese Concert at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall, Traditional Lanterns over one of Edinburgh’s luxury shopping streets and fortune cookies and red envelope events and promotions at prestigious Edinburgh retailers and attractions have seen Scotland’s capital celebrate Chinese New Year like never before.

A programme of activities to welcome the Year of the Rooster aims to solidify Edinburgh’s position as the most visited UK destination for Chinese tourists after London, and support destination leaders’ ambitions to continue to grow tourism, trade and cultural links with China. The Chinese New Year began on Saturday 28 January 2017, with celebrations traditionally spanning two weeks – a key holiday time for Chinese outbound tourists.

Highlights of Edinburgh’s Chinese New Year activities included:

• A Gala Concert at Usher Hall on Burns Night (Wednesday 25 January) celebrating the cultural and diplomatic links between Scotland and China, co-hosted by City of Edinburgh Council and the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Edinburgh and featuring traditional lion dances and performances by the Edinburgh Chinese Choir and Chinese dancing and drums from the Alba Cathay Chinese School.

  

• Traditional red lanterns decorating Edinburgh’s exclusive shopping destination, Multrees Walk, welcoming the Year of the Rooster with exclusive promotions and activities including: a Harvey Nichols luxury lucky dip promotion with all purchases over £200 (terms and conditions apply), 20% discount for China Union Pay customers at Tommy Hilfiger; specially-curated, exclusive Chinese New Year products at Burberry, Links of London and the Pen Shop and elegant Red Envelopes available for customers to share with family and friends at Burberry, Mulberry and Hugo Boss.

• An exclusive Chinese New Year shopping event at Laing the Jeweller on George Street on Monday 30^th January

• Exclusive Moët and Chandon Yuzu and Raspberry Fortune Cookie served on the Royal Yacht Britannia with every glass of Moët and Chandon Champagne served in their Royal Deck Tea Room on the 28th January

For more information, check out our Chinese New Year 2017 Photo Gallery

This latest marketing push to the Chinese market is the next phase of the city’s China-Ready initiative – launched by ETAG in 2015 and supported by Scottish Enterprise – which has seen over 200 hotels, visitor attractions, universities, festivals and retailers across the city engage with cultural awareness workshops, guides and meetings aimed at increasing Chinese visitor numbers and developing the city’s position as a China friendly destination. Last month, the city launched their first-ever destination channels on the hugely-influential Chinese social media sites Weibo and WeChat.