South Africa's tourism continues to heat up, and we look forward to more Chinese tourists experiencing multiculturalism
January 17, 2024, Beijing---
South Africa is blessed with natural beauty and a fascinating history and culture, attracting tourists from all over the world. In the first 11 months of 2023, South Africa received 5.8 million visitors from other countries on the continent, a significant increase of 75.5% year-on-year, according to the data. Among them, the Asian market, represented by China, will rise rapidly in 2023, with the total number of inbound tourists from January to November reaching 182,497, a year-on-year increase of 72.6%. The number of tourists in the Middle East reached 51,779, an increase of 37.5% compared to the same period in 2022. The Americas also showed strong growth, with the number of visitors from the Americas reaching 411,254 in the first 11 months of 2023, an increase of 44.1% compared to the same period in 2022. Tourist arrivals from Europe reached 1.1 million, accounting for 14.6% of the total number of arrivals, an increase of 43.2% compared to the same period last year.
Igniting enthusiasm, the number of Chinese tourists has rebounded significantly
According to Statistics South Africa, the number of Chinese tourists surged by 215.7% year-on-year to 34,669 from January to November 2023. South Africa, across the ocean, is becoming a popular tourist destination for Chinese tourists.
China is one of South Africa's important tourism source markets, and according to H.E. Dr. Siyabonga Cyprian Cwele, South Africa's Ambassador to China, about 93,000 Chinese tourists visited South Africa in 2019 to experience the unique natural and cultural features of this land.
At the beginning of 2023, China included South Africa in the first batch of countries to resume outbound group tours for Chinese citizens, highlighting the huge potential of this tourism market and the importance of China to South Africa's tourism industry.
Mr. Gcobani Mancotywa, Regional General Manager, Asia/Australia & New Zealand/Middle East, South African Tourism, said: "We are very pleased to see the continued growth of Chinese tourists' enthusiasm and interest in South African tourism, which is a recognition of South African Tourism's long-term promotion in the Chinese market, and we will continue to increase our promotion efforts in the Chinese market to showcase South Africa's charm and tourism resources to more Chinese tourists." At the same time, we will continue to improve the quality of our tourism products and services to provide Chinese tourists with an unforgettable travel experience. ”
Mr. Gao Binli, Regional General Manager, Asia/Australia & New Zealand/Middle East, South African Tourism
Take multiple measures to create a diversified and high-quality tourism experience
In order to further stimulate the potential of the Chinese market and invite more Chinese tourists to experience the unique charm of South Africa, Tourism South Africa actively participates in major industry activities, has in-depth exchanges with all parties, and jointly opens a new chapter in the tourism and cultural exchanges between China and South Africa. In November 2023, Tourism South Africa participated in the 2023 China International Tourism Mart (CITM) and invited representatives of local industry partners to participate in the exhibition, showcasing the rich tourism resources and tourism products of South Africa such as high-quality red wine and rooibos tea to the audience.
On November 21, 2023, with the strong support of the South African Tourism Board, the South African Department of Tourism 2023 Seminar was also successfully held in Beijing. H.E. Patricia D'Lilley, Minister of Tourism, H.E. Mr. Xie Shengwen, Ambassador of South Africa to China, Mr. Gao Binli, Director-General of the Department of Tourism of South Africa and General Manager of Tourism Asia/Australia and New Zealand/Middle East, and a number of foreign envoys attended the event. Representatives from nearly 60 key Chinese media, well-known travel bloggers and 40 tourism enterprises were invited to participate in the in-depth discussion, and then enjoy a dynamic performance with a unique South African style at the gala dinner.
The scene of the 2023 Beijing Seminar Dinner of the South African Ministry of Tourism
In recent years, South Africa has been committed to creating high-end tourism products, actively making progress in the field of business and MICE tourism, and providing first-class meeting and event experiences for business tourists by improving modern MICE facilities and service systems. At the same time, in addition to the pursuit of excellent facilities, South Africa also attaches great importance to the improvement of tourism service quality, provides professional training and certification for tourism-related institutions and personnel, and supports a series of high-end business tourism products, focusing on bringing tourists a richer travel experience.
As a world-famous tourist resort, South Africa has many world cultural and natural heritage, beautiful landscapes and multi-ethnic cultures, creating a rare tourist destination for tourists from all over the world. South Africa has also always regarded sustainable tourism as a crucial development goal, and is committed to promoting the concept of eco-tourism, through the scientific planning and management of tourism projects, to promote the harmonious coexistence of tourism and the natural environment. Located in the southern hemisphere, South Africa is in the middle of summer, ready to welcome tourists from all over the world and share a unique passion and joy.