“In the next five years, China’s steady recovery of outbound tourism will provide new opportunities for the world’s tourism industry, including Africa, and promote the construction of a new pattern of world tourism with true multilateralism, so as to better benefit the world and people, including the 2 billion African people.” Dai Bin – President of China Tourism Academy

November 16, the “Seminar on Tourism Cooperation between China and African Countries” hosted by the International Exchange and Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and organized by the China Tourism Academy opened online.

Dean Dai Bin attended the meeting and delivered a keynote speech entitled “China-Africa Tourism Cooperation and the Construction of a World Tourism Community”. The main contents are as follows:

Further research found that China-Africa tourism cooperation is far more than simply “source China + destination Africa”. Africa is not only with magnificent scenery such as the Serengeti and Masai Mara, the Great Rift Valley, the Sahara Desert, and the Nile River. Africa is also the place where the dawn of human civilization rises. If we have the opportunity to walk into the National Museum of Ethiopia, in front of human fossils, one must have a deeper understanding of the community of shared future for mankind that President Xi has repeatedly stated. 

Africa is not only the region with the greatest mining potential, but also the countries along the “Belt and Road” and the member countries of the BRICS mechanism, where bilateral trade and investment are growing rapidly. The ever-increasing trade and investment, people-to-people and cultural exchanges and international cooperation have provided a broad market space for China-Africa tourism exchanges and industrial cooperation.

An Africa with magnificent natural scenery, splendid history and culture, rich natural resources and visible economic growth will provide more destination choices for Chinese outbound tourists. 

In 2019, China became the world’s most important tourist source market with 155 million outbound tourists. In the past three years, due to the impact of the epidemic, the continuously growing outbound tourism market has stagnated. However, judging from the recent aviation, immigration and consular policies, outbound tourism is approaching the window period of orderly recovery. 

Reading thousands of books and traveling thousands of miles has been an excellent tradition and way of life of the Chinese nation since ancient times, and outbound travel is especially yearned for by the people. A China that has realized a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and a China that is promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization, will not pursue a trade surplus in tourism services with any country or region at any time, but will encourage more citizens to travel in this blue sky. Walk freely on the colourful planet. 

In the next five years, China’s steady recovery of outbound tourism will provide new opportunities for the world’s tourism industry, including Africa, and promote the construction of a new pattern of world tourism with true multilateralism, so as to better benefit the world and people, including the 2 billion African people. 

Openness is a distinctive sign of contemporary China, and it is our common responsibility to promote more convenient travel policies and higher-quality tourist reception. 

Through policy innovations in bilateral tourism, culture, consular, immigration, aviation, maritime, port and other departments, more visa convenience and route options are provided for mutual visits of tourists; provide high-quality tourism and travel services for international tourists through the pragmatic cooperation of travel agencies, online travel agencies, travel retail, hotels, homestays, scenic resorts and other commercial organizations; project investment from financial institutions such as industrial funds, etc., and continuous improvement of Africa’s tourism infrastructure and reception system, so that China-Africa tourism exchanges and cooperation will steadily move from the government-promoted stage to the market-promoted stage.

The China Tourism Academy is willing to further strengthen cooperation with tourism policy research, marketing promotion, education and training, reception services and other departments of African countries. Effectively enhance the popularity and influence of African countries in China’s outbound tourism market and help travel service organisations in African countries to develop more targeted products, and continuously improve service quality and tourist satisfaction.

Source: China Tourism Academy 

Author: Dai Bin