The China Ready® Workshop will return to WTM Africa 2027, offering African tourism stakeholders an opportunity to gain market intelligence needed to tap into one of the world’s largest outbound travel markets.
Presented by Marcus Lee, CEO of China Travel Online and founder of the China Ready® Programme, the workshop forms part of a three-year development series running alongside WTM Africa from 2026 to 2028. Each annual session explores a different aspect of engaging the Chinese outbound market.
Set to take place 7–9 April 2027 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), WTM Africa 2027 will host Part 2: Marketing and Digital Promotion. This session is designed to explore the digital platforms, consumer behaviours, and marketing strategies that influence Chinese outbound travel decisions, providing delegates with practical, actionable insights to strengthen their visibility and competitiveness in this high-value source market.
Why China readiness matters
“Chinese outbound travel continues to represent one of the greatest long-term growth opportunities for global tourism,” says Megan de Jager, portfolio director – Travel, Tourism & RX Africa Marketing. “African tourism businesses recognise the importance of preparing for this market. We are excited to welcome Marcus Lee back to WTM Africa 2027 to continue equipping delegates with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed.”
Stakeholders attending the China Ready® Workshop at WTM Africa 2027 will receive CPD accreditation.
South Africa will become the 55th country globally to introduce the China Ready® Programme. The fully booked session coincided with the launch of the inaugural China Ready Index® – Africa Rankings, a benchmarking system developed by the China Business Intelligence & Strategy Network (CBISN) to evaluate African destinations on their readiness to attract and serve Chinese travellers. As of 2026, Egypt ranks first in Africa, followed by Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa.
China Ready® is the world’s number one Chinese tourism preparation programme, launched in 55 countries across six continents. The China Ready Index® is a global ranking system that benchmarks how ready a tourism destination is for the Chinese market through data collection and aggregation into a composite score.
Further details to be announced on the WTM Africa website
