The UK is to be marketed to affluent Chinese tourists thanks to a partnership signed between VisitBritain and China UnionPay International (CUP).

The agreement will market Britain to the cardholders of China’s leading banks and support increased acceptance of CUP cards in the UK.

This is part of Britain’s efforts to become the most welcoming destination in Europe for Chinese visitors. Recent insights from The China Tourism Research Institute reveal that Britain is ranked the top destination for visitor satisfaction, ahead of Germany and Australia.

The Chinese market was worth £300m a year to Britain in 2012. Provisional data shows that Chinese visits were up 21 per cent in the first half of this year, compared to 2012. In the last five years, there has been a 69 per cent increase in spend.

Their favourite activities are a tour of Buckingham Palace, watching the sunrise at Stonehenge and spending a night at a Scottish castle.

Chair of VisitBritain, Christopher Rodrigues, says: “This partnership marks a milestone with our work in China. We expect to further expand our reach in the world’s fastest growing outbound market, while providing more Chinese consumers with a greater level of convenience when they travel and shop in Britain.”

This move is backed up by the announcement from the Chancellor, George Osborne, that it will become easier to process visas for Chinese visitors.

Having long lobbied for this, the British Hospitality Association welcomed this decision, believing it will have a significant impact on growing tourism and jobs in the UK.

"By 2023, China will be the largest outbound tourism economy, so it is important that the UK makes every effort to welcome the Chinese traveller into our country. Simplifying the visa application system will allow us to compete internationally," says BHA chief executive, Ufi Ibrahim.