The China Outbound Tourism Fair (COTTM) was held on April 12-14 at the National Agricultural Exhibition Center in Beijing. COTTM is the only professional exhibition in China focusing on outbound tourism and B2B, and the most important exchange platform for China's outbound tourism industry. The Namibia Tourism Board's booth was full of African style, attracting many peers to stop. The reporter of the Global Network Travel Channel conducted an exclusive interview with Ms. Zhu Zheng, the market representative of the Namibia Tourism Bureau in Greater China.
Namibia Tourism Board booth
Interviewer: Zhang Ning, a reporter for the Global Network Travel Channel
Reporter: Hello, is the Namibia Tourism Board participating in the COTTM exhibition for the first time?
Zhu Zheng: We are participating in COTTM for the first time.
Reporter: Why haven't you done promotion on COTTM before? What is the purpose of this Namibian exhibition?
Zhu Zheng: The exhibitions we participated in before were mainly B2C exhibitions such as CITM and BITE, and now Namibia has a certain reputation in the personal consumer group, as a high-end destination in Africa, we have attracted some high-end people, and now we hope to better expand this market. The first time I participated in the COTTM exhibition was to test the waters from a B2B perspective. At present, there are more than 10,000 Chinese tourists to Namibia, and we hope to give you more tourism products and updated tourism resources to choose from. It is hoped that this information will be effectively conveyed through this year's COTTM.
Reporter: Many netizens do not know Namibia, please briefly introduce it.
Zhu Zheng: Located in Southwest Africa, Namibia enjoys unique geographical advantages, with both African characteristic resources and marine tourism resources. Namibia tourism has four famous features, the first is wildlife, Namibia is the country with the most wild cheetahs in the world, and it is also the country with the most black rhinos. In addition, there are also famous African desert elephants. The animals living in Namibia have a vast living space and are the most pristine wildlife communities in the world. The second feature is the natural scenery, Namibia has the most famous red desert, and the highest sand dunes in the world; There is also the famous Death Valley, which was formed after thousands of years of drying up the river valley, and due to the dry climate here, these plants, although dead, can still remain "alive" as they are, becoming a photographer's paradise and a must-visit attraction for tourists. Namibia's coastal landscape is also very stunning, connecting sand and sea, pouring sand into the sea, and was listed as a World Natural Cultural Heritage Site in 2013; The long coastline here is extremely rich in marine animals; There is also the unique Skull Coast, which is also famous for its attractions. Third, there is the tribal culture of mysterious Africa, where many tribes in Namibia still retain their traditional habits. For tourists, the most famous tribe in Namibia is the Reds, the Simba, a tribe that has a very special habit of living that remains to this day. They are topless and use their own "red clay" to apply to the skin to protect the skin. Another of Namibia's World Heritage Sites, Decadent Fontaine, is the world's most spectacular site of ancient human petroglyphs, carved by the ancient San people, whose descendants are still the masters of the desert today, and whose traditions of tracking animals and hunting continue to this day. Fourth, Namibia's wonderful outdoor sports projects, such as sandboarding, 4wd desert adventure, cruise ships, skydiving, shark fishing, etc., have brought Chinese tourists a completely different interactive experience and excitement.
Reporter: You just mentioned the Simba people, what language do the Simba people speak? What if tourists want to see simbas?
Zhu Zheng: The Simba people have their own tribal language. The official language of Namibia is English, and German and Afrikaans are also widely spoken. Namibia has 14 main tribes, all of which speak their own languages, and they can communicate with each other through Afrikaans, English and other languages.
The way we advocate travel is not just for tourists to look at the Simba people with a curious mentality, Namibia emphasizes the interactive experience, we recommend that tourists can book a day or half a day itinerary, stay with them, eat their traditional food, so as to better experience their life and culture.
Reporter: Just now you introduced the tourism characteristics of Namibia, what tourism experience do chinese tourists who come to Namibia prefer?
Zhu Zheng: There are more guests who like photography, many people who like wildlife, and more and more tourists come to experience outdoor sports. Namibia has many outdoor projects and has always been used as a mecca for outdoor sports by European and American tourists. Here you can play sandmobiling, skydiving, shark fishing, sandboarding, paragliding and more. There are also many Chinese tourists who like to bring their children to broaden their horizons and feel a more authentic earth. Namibia has many places where children can observe and pet animals from a distance, and they can also take children to camp in the wild to do nature exploration.
Reporter: Many tourists come to Africa to see the great migration of animals, do you have nano?
Zhu Zheng: The Great Migration is not a feature of Namibia, although namibia's animals also have a huge population, but the ecological environment here determines that they do not need to migrate to survive. Namibia has many special ways to experience wildlife, such as up-close contact with large animals, and hiking to find cheetahs; Can observe the beast up close; On a recliner, bask in the sun while watching the wildlife running around you. The wild animals here are not afraid of people, they have not been harmed by humans, and they can live well with humans. Be sure to try hugging a newborn lion or cheetah, it's a really magical feeling.
Reporter: In addition to the tourism resources you just mentioned, can tourists taste any special foods when they arrive at Nani?
Zhu Zheng: Namibia has a lot of food, and even some guests come here. The most famous is oysters, where many seaside resort cities such as Walvis Bay, Swakomond, Ludritz, etc., can taste the best oysters in the world. Small but sweet and plump, especially fresh, many oysters on the table were still living in the Atlantic Ocean an hour ago. Many of the tourists who come here are oysters with a hundred oysters, accompanied by wine. Namibia is the second richest country in fishery resources, and naturally delicious seafood is indispensable; In the inland areas, you can also taste the highest quality beef and mutton, the beef and mutton produced here is a high-grade organic beef and mutton exported to Europe, cheap and good. In Namibia, it is also recommended to try the "native dishes" of tribal peoples, such as various "wild meats", crocodiles, ostrich eggs, etc., and even taste the special insect meal. It's not disappointing to come to Namibia, where you can also enjoy the most authentic German food and Beer!
Reporter: When do you think it's the best tourist season?
Zhu Zheng: Our winter in the northern hemisphere is the summer and rainy season in Namibia, and the traffic may be slightly inconvenient, but the other seasons are very suitable for travel. Even during the rainy season, you can see different scenery, such as the endless red desert full of beautiful little yellow flowers.
Reporter: Is Namibia currently open to individual tourism?
Zhu Zheng: Namibia has opened up individual tourism. In order to get a better travel experience, we still recommend looking for a local local pick-up agency in Namibia to help tourists complete accommodation, car rental, attraction ticket ordering and other services. Namibia's tourist reception is very mature and standardized, and professionals can help tourists plan customized routes. Of course, if tourists like to drive, but the first is to pass the language pass, the second is that China is left-hand drive right, Namibia is right-hand drive left, need tourists to have the process of adaptation, third, abide by Namibia's laws and regulations, even if all the way, no traffic jams, do not speed, because Namibia's speeding tickets are not cheap!
Reporter: Please introduce a classic tourist route, how long does it take? What is the approximate price point?
Zhu Zheng: First of all, when you arrive in the capital Windhoek, you can choose to go north or south. For example, we go south to the oldest red desert in the world, because the desert is always the most attractive place in Nano, and then we stay here for a day or two and then go to the beach to experience fresh food and the fun of outdoor activities by the sea, and then go to Etosha National Park, the largest national park in Africa, to find wildlife and feel the charm of tribal culture on the way. Such a classic route lasts about 10 days in the local area, and much of the price is affected by the price of the ticket and the choice of hotel.
Reporter: Is it easy to get a visa to Namibia?
Zhu Zheng: The Embassy of Namibia in Beijing can apply for tourist visas normally, and does not require cumbersome procedures and materials, and the details can be learned from the Embassy or by calling our Tourism Bureau China Representative Office.
Reporter: Many friends come to Africa and worry about safety and health conditions, how is the safety and health situation in Namibia?
Zhu Zheng: This is also a theme that we have launched this year, and our theme this year is "Anyi - Namibia", because Namibia does not have any ethnic conflicts, there is no strong social contradiction, the people are gentle and live in peace and contentment, and they are content to live in a natural and beautiful environment. Historically, Dutch and German immigrants have built here for a long time, laying a solid foundation for life, transportation, health and other facilities here, and the Namibian people have built the country in an orderly manner. In Namibia, tap water is drinkable, and large desalination plants have been established in coastal areas where fresh water is scarce. Namibia's medical and emergency assistance is also well-developed, and although the territory is sparsely populated, the large number of small aircraft in various regions has made emergencies can also be properly responded to. Namibia's characteristic hotels are even more popular with tourists, these hotels not only have the facilities of a luxury hotel, but also have their own unique design and style, and have a perfect integration with the surrounding environment.
Reporter: Namibia is really a very desirable tourist destination, thank you for accepting our interview today.
Zhu Zheng: Thank you. I also hope that more Chinese tourists can come to Namibia like you.