South African Tourism Holds First Offline Tourism Event in 2023 Themed 'Meet Again in South Africa to Embrace New Life'

(Source: South African Tourism)

(Source: South African Tourism)

South Africa is listed among the first destinations resuming outbound group tours as China has recently optimized and refined its COVID-19 prevention and control policies. The country located on the southernmost part of the African continent has actively responded to the new situation. On 9 February, the tourism promotion event of "Meet Again in South Africa to Embrace New Life" organized by South African Tourism was successfully held at the African Cultural and Tourism Center in Beijing. Representatives of more than 40 tourism partners and media outlets attended the event, including Dr. Siyabonga Cyprian Cwele, South African Ambassador to China; Mr. Mogamat Mahdi Basadien, Minister Plenipotentiary of the South African Embassy in China; Mr. Gary James Smith, Economic Counsellor of the South African Embassy in China; Ms. Mpume Mnguni, First Secretary of Economic Affairs of the South African Embassy in China; Mr. Mansoor Mohamed, Head of Asia Pacific, South African Tourism; Ms. Zhang Yufei, Marketing and Public Relations Manager of China of Singapore Airlines, and Ms. Cui Li, Vice President of Qyer.com.

This was the first offline tourism event of South African Tourism in 2023. The event was of special significance since it marked its first time meeting with tourism partners and friends from media outlets after the pilot resumption of Chinese outbound group tours to 20 countries on 6 February. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and South Africa, bringing the friendly relations between the two countries to a new historical starting point. New achievements have been continuously made in China-South Africa practical cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges have provided rich nourishment for China-South Africa friendship.

Dr. Siyabonga Cyprian Cwele, South African Ambassador to China (Source: South African Tourism)

In his opening remarks, Dr. Siyabonga Cyprian Cwele, South African Ambassador to China, noted that China-South Africa friendship has grown stronger over time and China-South Africa friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation has been flourishing. China has been South Africa's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years. This year, the two countries signed the 10-year Strategic Plan on Cooperation between China and South Africa. The China-South Africa comprehensive strategic partnership will continue to move towards higher quality, broader areas and deeper levels.

"We warmly welcome Chinese visitors who get on well with South African locals and enjoy exploring the diversity of destinations. As China's economy grows and national income levels rise, more and more Chinese tourists will come to South Africa to experience its rich tourism resources, shopping and entertainment activities. Despite the decline in tourist arrivals due to the pandemic, China remains one of South Africa's core markets in Asia."

"We will soon welcome back our first Chinese tourists since nearly three years ago, which means that they are choosing destinations and making arrangements. This is a huge opportunity as it is vital to tap into this important market and effectively present unique travel experiences in South Africa. Let's look forward to the early recovery of the global tourism industry and hope that all of us can spark new possibilities and embark on a 'new journey of South African tourism'."

Mr. Mansoor Mohamed, Head of Asia Pacific, South African Tourism (Source: South African Tourism)

Mr. Mansoor Mohamed, Head of Asia Pacific, South African Tourism, said in his speech that South Africa's tourism is enjoying a strong recovery under the new normal. As of August 2022, international visitor arrivals in South Africa impressively hit nearly 3.3 million, showing "retaliatory" growth. South Africa's tourism sector is bracing for a remarkable rebound and positive growth.

"This achievement has not come easily and has been made possible by South African Tourism's proactive response to the new normal, where the main trend in outbound travel is to prioritize the safety, health and hygiene of travelers. South Africa also continuously develops new tourist satisfaction-based quality control systems and policies while implementing globally based health and safety protocols to ensure the safety of all travelers and tourism practitioners. We also hope that in the post-pandemic era, Chinese tourists can come to South Africa with peace of mind, experience the unique charm of this country of rainbows, and gain their 'new life'."

"Earlier this year, South African Tourism launched the 'Travel Assistant' smart content portal platform in response to the tourism industry's preference for digital tools, aiming to help the Chinese tourism industry gain access to valuable destination resources, provide convenience for travelers who are considering or planning trips to South Africa, and better plan wonderful itineraries in South Africa. In addition, Air China's newly announced Beijing-Johannesburg-Chengdu direct flight will open the first direct route between Johannesburg, the gateway to South Africa, and "the capital of pandas", the gateway to southwest China. It is believed that the flight will serve as an important bridge of economic, trade, tourism and cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and South Africa."

The event (Source: South African Tourism)

As one of the world's premier tourist destinations, South Africa is known for its world-renowned natural resources, which have given the tourism industry the opportunity of its quick recovery and thriving development. At the "Sustainable Tourism" seminar, Mr. Mansoor Mohamed, Head of Asia Pacific, South African Tourism, said that South African Tourism has been committed to promoting in-depth experiences of quality travel while showing South Africa's beautiful photos and videos continuously via new media channels to meet the needs of more tourists for customized itineraries. While the "pause button" was hit for outbound travel, South Africa was adding new amenities, hotels and experiences. South Africa will continue to practice sustainable and responsible travel, proactively embrace changes, and collaborate with major OTAs, airlines and other partners to show Chinese tourists that they can experience both land and sea safaris in a diverse South Africa.

The 57th edition of the World Table Tennis Championships will come from Chengdu to Durban, South Africa this year, which will be another great reason for Chinese tourists to visit South Africa in 2023. South African Tourism will continuously organize various tourism and media activities to bring the latest South African tourism information and products to the Chinese market and tourists.

The event (Source: South African Tourism)

The guests are painting ostrich eggs. (Source: South African Tourism)

The guests are painting ostrich eggs. (Source: South African Tourism)

Section of Lucky Draw (Source: South African Tourism)

Section of Lucky Draw (Source: South African Tourism)