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Tanzania eyes lucrative Chinese market

Monday February 19 2018
tourists

Tourists from China in Nyeri County in central Kenya. Tanzania Tourist Board has been participating in tourism fairs and exhibitions in China to expose Tanzania’s tourist products, mainly wildlife, the Indian Ocean beaches and historical sites. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By APOLINARI TAIRO

Tanzania is now looking East for business travellers and wealthy holiday makers to boost its tourist numbers.

“We want to tap into China’s large population to market our products and hope to attract visitors to Tanzania,” Tanzania Tourist Board managing director Devota Mdachi said.

She said that TTB had invited a high-level delegation to market Tanzanian wildlife parks, historical sites and Mount Kilimanjaro to Chinese tourists.

TTB has been participating in tourism fairs and exhibitions in China to expose Tanzania’s tourist products, mainly wildlife, the Indian Ocean beaches and historical sites.

The UN World Tourism Organisation has recognised China as the new number one tourism source market in the world.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Dar es Salaam will also be holding a meeting to sensitise Tanzanian business executives on the best options to capture the lucrative Chinese tourist market.

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Chinese tourists to Tanzania rose to 30,000 last year from 13,760 visitors in 2012. China produces about 120 million overseas tourists each year.

Tanzania is among eight African countries that the China National Tourism Administration has recognised as a suitable tourist destinations for the Chinese. The other countries are Kenya, Seychelles, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Mauritius, and Zambia.

READ: East Africa eyes big shot Chinese tourists to boost sector gains

ALSO READ: Now Kenya overtakes America as leading source market for visitors to Tanzania

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