South African Tourism and tour operators are getting their foot in the door early to take advantage of South Africa’s status as one of only 20 countries to be approved for group travel from China.
Shortly after the approval, which went into effect on February 6, SA Tourism held its first in-person event with Chinese counterparts in Beijing, as part of an initiative to restore the flow of tourists from the country. The event celebrated 25 years of diplomatic relations with China and promoted new digital marketing tools, Air China’s direct flights from Beijing to Johannesburg, and South Africa’s commitment to sustainable and responsible travel.
The ‘Reunite with South Africa and Welcome the ‘New Life’’ campaign is part of SAT’s broader plans to secure a significant share of the Chinese outbound market, which is predicted to grow from the 170 million tourists recorded in 2019, to 228 million in 2030.
Suzanne Benadie, Sales and Marketing Director of Sense of Africa, said the marketing organisation should continue to pursue opportunities in this market post-COVID.
“SA Tourism should consider all opportunities in both mature and emerging markets, and China is no exception. The market is very important as it represents new business opportunities for us, particularly with luxury group travel.
“We target this market via our longstanding trade partners based across Asia, and we value all opportunities to grow this market.”
South Africa only attracted 93 000 Chinese travellers in 2019, but SA Tourism has intensified its marketing drives in the country. One of the initiatives developed by SAT’s Asia Pacific Hub is an online portal showcasing 150 points of interest across South Africa, which users can explore in Mandarin.
“China is projected to be a leading source market for arrivals by the year 2030. Our plans to lure tourists from China include positioning South Africa in the Chinese market as a leading and safe tourism destination that offers excellent sustainable and culturally diverse experiences and breath-taking wildlife and natural beauty,” said Mansoor Mohamed, SA Tourism Head for the Asia Pacific Hub.
