WTM Africa partners with China Travel Online to tap into Chinese outbound market

WTM Africa has announced it has joined forces with China Travel Online, a premier Chinese outbound travel portal, to unlock new opportunities and to connect the dots between China’s robust outbound travel market, projected to exceed 264 million trips in 2024 (according to the China Tourism Academy), and Africa’s rich travel offerings. The partners say they hope to open new doors for stakeholders on both ends, fostering an integration of resources, expertise, and market access. WTM Africa, part of the RX WTM portfolio, says a highlight of its newly formed strategic buyer and media partnership with China Travel Online will be the China Market session at WTM Africa’s 2024 show in Cape Town, 10-12 April, where key insights on penetrating the Chinese market will be shared. Several prominent Chinese travel buyers will also be hosted at the three-day show. China Travel Online works to connect destinations, attractions, hotels and other travel suppliers worldwide to Chinese operators and professionals. It is also a one-stop shop for resources, e-commerce, news and networking for Chinese travel and tourism companies and professionals. “This partnership with China Travel Online allows us to bring leading Chinese industry players together with tourism suppliers from across Africa, paving the way for future growth,” says Megan De Jager, portfolio director for WTM Africa. De Jager emphasises that the Chinese outbound travel market presents an enormous opportunity for the continent, especially in light of the fact that South Africa has been one of the first three nations on the continent to roll out the welcome mat to Chinese visitors in the post-Covid era. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), at the end of  2023, international scheduled flights from China to the rest of the world reached over 60% of 2019 pre-pandemic levels. “We are excited about this partnership and the possibilities it unlocks for tourism growth between China and Africa,” comments Marcus Lee, CEO of China Travel Online. To attend WTM Africa 2024 and bolt-on events visit: https://www.wtm.com/africa/en-gb.html