China eyes Tanzania’s tourism

TANZANIA (eTN) – During the recent visit to Tanzania by the Chinese President Xi Jinping, China has expressed its keen interest to invest in Tanzania’s fast-growing tourism industry, taking advanta

TANZANIA (eTN) – During the recent visit to Tanzania by the Chinese President Xi Jinping, China has expressed its keen interest to invest in Tanzania’s fast-growing tourism industry, taking advantage of economic cooperation between these two nations.

Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr. Lu Youqing, said this week that Tanzania and China are looking at a best approach that will woo tourists from the Asian country to this African destination.

China produces about 90 million overseas tourists but few are coming to a tour in Tanzania, despite the natural tourist attractions, some of which are on the Africa wonder-list.

The Chinese Ambassador here said he had met the Tanzanian Tourism Minister and charted the way forward by pondering a number of ways with the Minister for Tourism and Natural Resources.

“We want to attract just one percent of the Chinese tourists per year to make a holiday to Tanzania. This alone will double the rate of revenue collection and tourist arrivals,” he said.

The Ambassador said, should the deal materialize and Tanzania managed to attract the said just one percent of Chinese tourists, it means that 900,000 Chinese tourists would visit Tanzania every year.

Tanzania has been recognized and approved by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) headquartered in Beijing, as a country of visit by Chinese holidaymakers. The Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) has launched a market drive to market Tanzania’s wildlife, cultural heritage, Mount Kilimanjaro, historical sites, and the Indian Ocean beaches to the Chinese tourist market.

China has recognized 8 African countries as suitable tourist destinations for the Chinese, and Tanzania became among the short-list of African nations recognized by CNTA as a qualified destination.

Tanzania and China had signed a Memorandum of Understanding this year to allow Chinese tourist groups to visit Tanzania. Other African tourist destinations wrapped up in such an accord are Kenya, Seychelles, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Mauritius, and Zambia.

The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has recognized China as the new number one tourism source market in the world.

“The successful implementation of the new Chinese national tourism strategy will surely impulse both domestic and outbound tourism in China, and we particularly welcome the decision to promote traveling at different times of the year,” said UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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