Rwanda taps into Chinese tourism market

Rwanda is participating at the China Guilin International Tourism Expo as it looks to tap into China’s huge tourism market. The three-day expo which begun Friday is taking place at the Guilin International Conference and Exhibition Center in Guangxi, China, and a Rwandan delegation has erected a stand to showcase its products. Rwanda Development Board (RDB) which is represented at the expo says it brings together the Chinese tour and travel industry and the Association of South Asian Nations, which has a combined population of almost two billion people, with international buyers and exhibitors. Chinese tour operator sells packages to tourists at the expo. (Courtesy) According to an RDB statement, this makes the expo a strategic platform for leading industry players to tap into the enormous and still growing Chinese and Asian tourism markets. “The China Guilin International Tourism Expo is one of the leading tourism exhibitions that caters for both business and travel sectors. It is therefore a good platform for Rwanda to expand its partnerships and business relationships especially in the tourism industry. Rwanda has all it takes to be a premier destination for Chinese tourists,” Rwanda’s envoy to China, Amb. Charles Kayonga said. “With easy access to Rwanda, a destination that offers varied and exciting experiences for travelers and with continuous awareness through road shows and fairs such as this, we expect to see an increase in the number of leisure and business tourists from China”. Rwandan cultural group performs at the tourism stand in Guilin. (Courtesy) To give visitors a taste of the Rwanda experience, traditional and cultural dances are being performed and traditional instruments such as the famous inanga (harp) are played. Business to business and networking sessions among industry players to exchange information on various attractions and what it takes for Chinese tour companies to market the Rwanda destination are happening, says the RDB. Zhang Chao, from Hunan Everbright International Travel Service Co. Ltd, one of the tour companies in China, is quoted saying: “Increasingly, our customers are asking about new experiences, Rwanda would be a potential market to look at, considering what I have seen and heard here at the expo.” The China Guilin International Tourism Expo (CGITE 2015) covers an area of 23,000 square miles with 820 exhibitors and 32,000 visitors from about 65 countries and regions.

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Rwanda taps into Chinese tourism market