Chinese Friendly International
Chinese Friendly International is a Sevilla-based tourism consultancy that certifies European hotels, museums, cities, and retailers as "Chinese Friendly" via a five-phase system covering cultural training, WeChat Pay/Alipay integration, and Chinese-market e-marketing, serving clients across 28 EU countries and Latin America.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersSevilla, Spain
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Chinese Friendly International does
Chinese Friendly International SL is a privately-held Spanish consultancy, headquartered in Sevilla with a regional office in Bogotá, that operates the Sistema Chinese Friendly — a five-phase certification framework (Information, Training, Qualification, WeChat Pay/Alipay integration, and Communication) designed to help European tourism businesses adapt to Chinese outbound travelers. The company serves a horizontal client base spanning hotels, restaurants, museums, cultural institutions, cities, transportation providers, retail establishments, wineries, and language centers across 28 European Union countries, with selective expansion into Latin America via a 2017 joint venture with Berry Whale. Its core product is the Sistema Chinese Friendly certification platform, supplemented by CF Academy training services and custom WeChat Mini-Program development delivered in partnership with Dragon Trail Interactive. The company holds exclusive QSC (China Outbound Tourism Quality Service Certification) agent rights in Spain and serves as the exclusive Spanish commercial agent for COTTM, giving it privileged access to Chinese outbound tourism trade channels.
The business model combines recurring certification fees, professional services for training and cultural adaptation consulting, and bespoke WeChat Mini-Program and payment-integration projects. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: the firm runs direct enterprise engagement with hospitality and cultural clients, attends major Chinese B2B tourism fairs (COTTM in Beijing, BITE, ITB China in Shanghai), and partners with tourism boards, government bodies (Turespaña, municipal councils), and international organizations such as UNWTO and WTCF. Notable certified clients include Hotel Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento, Hotel Silken Al-Andalus, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Museo del Baile Flamenco Cristina Hoyos, Ayuntamiento de Sevilla, and Carvoeiro Caves in Portugal. CEO Dr. Kurt Grötsch leads a small leadership group (11-50 employees) and the company is funded organically with no recorded external investment rounds.
Chinese Friendly International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chinese Friendly International
- Legal name
- Chinese Friendly International SL
- Website
- https://chinesefriendly.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Chinese Friendly International is a Sevilla-based tourism consultancy that certifies European hotels, museums, cities, and retailers as "Chinese Friendly" via a five-phase system covering cultural training, WeChat Pay/Alipay integration, and Chinese-market e-marketing, serving clients across 28 EU countries and Latin America.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chinese Friendly International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tourism Consulting and Certification Services
- NAICS
- Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (56159), Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Global Program Expansion, Localization & Regionalization (THACAMAK)
Keywords
Where Chinese Friendly International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sevilla
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Chinese Friendly International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Certification Services: The company offers a certification system for businesses to become 'Chinese Friendly' certified. Businesses pay for the certification process which includes training, qualification, and ongoing support.
- Training and Consulting: Provides training courses on how to treat Chinese tourists, cultural adaptation consulting, and e-marketing strategies for the Chinese tourism market
- WeChat Services: WeChat mini-program development and WeChat Pay/Alipay integration services for businesses seeking to serve Chinese tourists
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels11 records
Chinese Friendly International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chinese Friendly International is a tourism consultancy that certifies and prepares European businesses (hotels, restaurants, museums, cities, transport companies, wineries, and shops) to receive Chinese tourists through a structured 5-phase Sistema Chinese Friendly program covering information, cultural training, quality qualification, WeChat Pay/Alipay payment integration, and Chinese-market e-marketing. It also delivers CF Academy training courses and custom WeChat Mini-Program development.
Product overview
Chinese Friendly International operates as a specialized tourism consultancy offering the Sistema Chinese Friendly as its core certification platform, complemented by CF Academy training services and WeChat Mini-Program Development. The Sistema Chinese Friendly is a comprehensive 5-phase certification system covering: (1) Information about Chinese tourism, (2) Training on Chinese tourist culture and behavior, (3) Quality qualification, (4) Chinese payment methods integration (WeChat Pay and Alipay), and (5) E-marketing and communication strategies for the Chinese market. The company provides this certification to various establishments including hotels, restaurants, museums, cities, transportation companies, language centers, golf courses, and shops across 28 European Union countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sistema Chinese Friendly Certification A structured 5-phase certification system that certifies hotels, restaurants, museums, cities, transport companies, language centers, golf courses, and shops as Chinese Friendly destinations for Chinese outbound tourists.
- CF Academy Training and education service providing courses on how to treat Chinese tourists, including Chinese culture, history, protocol, cultural tourism, and luxury shopping tourism, delivered in-person and via e-learning B2B platforms.
- WeChat Mini-Program Development Custom WeChat Mini-Program development service adapted per client, including destination listings, interactive maps, itineraries, live streams, and travel trade resources to improve conversion of Chinese tourists.
- WeChat Pay and Alipay Integration Payment integration service enabling certified businesses to accept WeChat Pay and Alipay, the native Chinese mobile payment methods used by Chinese tourists.
Quantifiable outcome
- Spain became the most visited European country by Chinese travelers during Chinese New Year period (2017)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Chinese Friendly International
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Chinese Friendly International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Chinese Friendly International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.
- Berry WhaleflagshipJoint venture agreement for exclusive promotion of Chinese Friendly and QSC certification in Latin America. Partnership signed by Víctor Pizarro (Berry Whale) and Dr. Kurt Grötsch (Chinese Friendly International). Includes development of the I Latin American Chinese Tourism Congress.
- COTTM (Chinese Outbound Travel & Tourism Market)flagshipExclusive commercial agent in Spain for COTTM. Commits to cohesifying Spain's presence at the fair and generating quality tourism impact in China.
- UNWTO (World Tourism Organization)coreChinese Friendly International is a member of UNWTO (World Tourism Organization), participating in international tourism promotion initiatives.
- QualityTourism.cn / QSC ProgramcoreExclusive partnership for QSC (China Outbound Tourism Quality Service Certification) - the principal quality certification of the Chinese tourism industry. Chinese Friendly helps businesses obtain official Chinese government certification.
- Dragon Trail InteractivemajorTechnology partner for WeChat mini-program development. Worked together on projects like the Poland National Tourism Office WeChat mini-program with over 400 points of interest cataloged.
- Cátedra ChinaminorAcademic partnership for Chinese tourism research and education initiatives.
- Minzu University of China (Universidad de Minzu de Pekín)majorDr. Kurt Grötsch named Ambassador of Minzu University of Beijing. Partnership for cultural exchange including flamenco exhibitions and art tourism initiatives.
- Travel Trade TianguisminorTravel trade marketing partner for Chinese tourism promotion.
- Mandarin CentersminorPartnership for Chinese language and cultural training services.
- CIT (China International TravelminorChannel partner for travel industry connections in China.
- Innova Tax FreeminorTax-free shopping services partner for Chinese tourists at client establishments.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Chinese Friendly International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Trip.com Group: Leading Chinese OTA with global hotel, flight, and tour booking platforms catering heavily to Chinese outbound travelers. Comparable as a major channel through which certified Chinese Friendly establishments reach Chinese consumers, but operating at vastly larger scale and as a distribution intermediary.
- Brand USA: USA's national tourism marketing entity with active China-focused campaigns. Comparable as a destination-marketing organization targeting Chinese outbound travelers at national scale, but without the niche per-establishment certification model.
- VisitBritain: National tourism agency of Britain running Chinese-market campaigns and welcoming programs. Comparable as a country-level DMO with dedicated Chinese-outbound initiatives, broader remit, and significantly larger marketing budget than the company.
- Turespaña: Spain's national tourism board responsible for promoting Spain as a destination globally including to Chinese travelers. Comparable as the incumbent DMO whose destinations the company certifies; a broader and better-funded counterpart operating at country scale.
Direct peers
- Berry Whale: Latin American tourism consultancy and JV partner responsible for promoting Chinese Friendly and QSC certification across the region. Comparable in business model (Chinese-tourism certification and adaptation services) and operates in the adjacent LatAm geography the company is expanding into.
- Dragon Trail International: Digital marketing agency specialized in helping travel brands reach Chinese consumers through WeChat, Weibo, and other platforms. Comparable as a complementary service provider in the Chinese-outbound tourism stack; already partners with Chinese Friendly on WeChat mini-program builds.
- Welcome Chinese: Certification and accreditation body for businesses targeting Chinese tourists, operating in German-speaking and broader European markets. Directly comparable as a Chinese-tourism certification competitor applying a similar multi-phase methodology to hotels, restaurants, and retailers.
- China Ready & Accredited: Australia-based accreditation program certifying tourism businesses for Chinese visitor readiness. Directly comparable in offering structured Chinese-tourist readiness certification, training, and quality assurance to hospitality and retail clients.
- Asianda Travel & Tourism: Specialist inbound travel and tourism services company focused on Chinese visitors to Europe. Comparable as a European-based operator providing Chinese-tourist-facing services including accommodation, transport, and cultural experiences for Chinese outbound travelers.
Others
- QualityTourism.cn (QSC): Operator of the official China Outbound Tourism Quality Service Certification issued by the Chinese tourism authority. Comparable as the certifying body whose standards the company delivers on behalf of clients; functions as a partner and standards-setter rather than direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chinese Friendly International social profiles
Digital presenceChinese Friendly International compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Chinese Friendly International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chinese Friendly International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Chinese Friendly International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chinese Friendly International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chinese Friendly International
What does Chinese Friendly International do?
Chinese Friendly International is a tourism consultancy that certifies and prepares European businesses (hotels, restaurants, museums, cities, transport companies, wineries, and shops) to receive Chinese tourists through a structured 5-phase Sistema Chinese Friendly program covering information, cultural training, quality qualification, WeChat Pay/Alipay payment integration, and Chinese-market e-marketing. It also delivers CF Academy training courses and custom WeChat Mini-Program development.
Is Chinese Friendly International a public or private company?
Chinese Friendly International is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Chinese Friendly International founded?
Chinese Friendly International was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Chinese Friendly International based?
Chinese Friendly International is headquartered in Sevilla, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does Chinese Friendly International make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Certification Services are the primary driver. The others are training and Consulting and weChat Services.
Who are Chinese Friendly International's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Trip.com Group, Brand USA, VisitBritain and Turespaña. Direct peers are Berry Whale, Dragon Trail International, Welcome Chinese, China Ready & Accredited and Asianda Travel & Tourism. QualityTourism.cn (QSC) is listed as an others.
Does Chinese Friendly International have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chinese Friendly International.
What industry is Chinese Friendly International in?
Chinese Friendly International's product category is Tourism Consulting and Certification Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THACAMAK, Global Program Expansion, Localization & Regionalization. Its NAICS code is 56159.