A number of Portuguese businesses will be presented with ‘Welcome Chinese’ accreditation at a seminar in Portugal on Friday, reported tourism-related news portal Turisver.

The international certification system acknowledges businesses making a special effort to serve Chinese tourists and business travellers.

João Cotrim de Figueiredo, President of the Turismo de Portugal institute – which comes under the remit of the Portuguese Ministry of Economy – will be one of the attendees at the Lisbon seminar.

The event was organised by: business consultancy Edeluc; the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry; the Portuguese-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Chinese company Select Holding.

The ‘Welcome Chinese’ international certification sets standards in several business categories for hospitality aimed at Chinese travellers. The scheme was launched in 2013, following a partnership signed between Select Holding and the China Tourism Academy.

Turisver said such certification had been awarded to more than 500 companies and institutions since 2013.

Certified entities receive newsletters about the Chinese outbound tourist market, and are invited to take part in roadshows and tourism fairs in China, the media outlet added.

According to Turisver, in the first nine months of 2015 the number of Chinese guests staying in Portugal increased 37.7 percent compared to the same period last year.