British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's four-day visit to China last week has been welcomed by retail and tourism leaders, who said the renewed high-level engagement and the business deals made during the trip could help accelerate the reco-very of inbound tourism in the United Kingdom, create local job opportunities and boost cultural exchanges.

"High-level visits carry significant symbolic meaning and tangible benefits. They convey positive signals of openness, confidence, and a commitment to sustained dialogue and cooperation," said Trupti Shah, commercial director at Burlington Arcade, one of London's most iconic retail destinations, adding that such visits also help create a stable environment for collaboration across retail, tourism and cultural sectors.

Burlington Arcade has positioned itself as a cultural bridge between the UK and China. In 2024, to mark Spring Festival, the arcade hosted a Yingge dance performance, a traditional folk art popular in the Chaoshan region of South China's Guangdong province, which is listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.

The performance was a huge success, Shah said, noting that it attracted strong interest from both Chinese communities and international visitors, earned significant media exposure and increased the number of visitors to the arcade.

In the middle of this month, the arcade plans to host Yangge dance and waist drum performances from Northwest China's Shaanxi province as part of Chinese New Year celebrations in London, Shah added.

Chinese retail brand Pop Mart, manufacturer of the hugely popular Labubu dolls, confirmed plans to make London its regional headquarters, as the company gears up to open 27 new stores in Europe this year, including up to seven in the UK that promises to create over 150 local jobs.

Wang Ning, founder and CEO of Pop Mart, who met with Starmer during the recently held UK-China Business Forum in Beijing, said, "London stands at the heart of the global creative ecosystem, and we are thrilled to plant our European roots there."

In a statement issued on Friday by Downing Street, Wang was quoted as saying, "We feel privileged to have partnered with renowned British IPs like Harry Potter, and we look forward to continuing to contribute to and grow alongside the dynamic?culture?and creative landscape of the UK and European markets."

Starmer's visit to China from Wednesday to Saturday, which was the first by a British prime minister in eight years, laid special emphasis on tourism.

Colm Lacy, chief commercial officer at British Airways, who was part of the business delegation Starmer led to Beijing and Shanghai, said the airline looks forward to continuing to serve China and further strengthening the connections that bring people together, as well as supporting trade and tourism, for many years to come.

The UK's flag carrier has been flying between Shanghai and London for more than 20 years, following its inaugural flight in 2005, and this year also marks its 90 years of service to Hong Kong, Lacy said. The airline currently operates daily flights from both Chinese cities.

Lacy added that British Airways is also delighted to recognize the 10th anniversary of its China-based cabin crew team. In 2024, the carrier announced plans to increase the number of Mandarin-speaking cabin crew on its China routes.

"We are honored to support the prime minister on this important visit to China," he said. "British Airways has a longstanding and proud history of connecting people, cultures, and businesses around the world, and this trip reflects the vital role we play in fostering those relationships."

VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates, who was part of the business delegation Starmer led to Beijing and Shanghai, said that China is expected to return as one of the UK's top 10 most valuable visitor markets this year, with an estimated 641,000 visits by Chinese travelers and ￡1.2 billion ($1.64 billion) in Chinese visitor spending.

"Joining the prime minister's delegation was a timely opportunity to tell a compelling story of Britain, and to engage with cultural and industry leaders to compete for visitor spending and economic growth," she said.

According to a survey conducted by VisitBritain, 96 percent of Chinese travelers considering a visit to the UK are interested in touring places and attractions featured in films and television series. Capitalizing on this strong interest in filming locations, the tourism body is rolling out a global screen tourism campaign in China called "Starring GREAT Britain".

"We want our Chinese visitors to explore beyond London," Yates said, adding that the increasing number of direct flight routes between China and regional gateways in the UK, such as Manchester, is a valuable chance to achieve that objective.

For heritage retail destinations such as Burlington Arcade, the rebound in UK-China economic and tourism ties presents long-term opportunities.

"We are not just a shopping destination," said Shah, the arcade's commercial director. "We are a cultural landmark, and through sustained partnerships, we hope to deepen people-to-people connections between the UK and China."

Zheng Wanyin contributed to the story.