By Editorial /ed@ddnewsonline.com/ posted October 27, 2024
Chinese investment in Africa’s sustainable tourism industry is poised for significant growth, as highlighted by Jon Danks, CEO of Capital Horizon, at the China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market (COTTM) in Beijing last week.
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This initiative is propelled by a dedicated African tourism investment portfolio, signaling deepened collaboration between China and Africa in the tourism sector.
The event, hosted by Informa Markets, showcased Africa’s tourism potential to Chinese investors and followed the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), where 51 African heads of state, along with the African Union and UN officials, reaffirmed commitments to advancing tourism.
Capital Horizon, a venture established by Dalmore International, Shanghai and Jon Danks, the former Chief Executive Officer of the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA), has launched an African tourism sustainable investment portfolio focused on Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, and other nations.
This portfolio aims to attract Chinese entrepreneurs to Africa’s tourism landscape, offering them tailored investment opportunities that align with both environmental sustainability and economic growth objectives.
The COTTM forum also enabled Danks to share insights from his extensive experience, bridging African tourism opportunities with potential Chinese investment.
This surge in interest comes amid growing momentum for public and private sector collaborations, as well as new investment commitments from the FOCAC Action Plan (2025-2027).
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The plan promotes enhanced tourism cooperation, support for African airlines, and direct facilitation of Chinese private investments in Africa’s tourism industry, highlighting Africa’s ongoing economic diversification and resilience in tourism.
In a paper presented at the event, Danks said “Following investor meetings in Shanghai and Beijing, the business connections during COTTM were a great success. In direct response to China’s appetite to unpack the power, complexity and opportunity for growth on the continent of Africa, the event heralds a new investment climate.”
“It was an honour to support so many Chinese investors and entrepreneurs, understanding and matching discussions with the African private sector, and to reconnect and support several African embassies, located here in Beijing.”
The COTTM Project Director Qinghui Qing said “COTTM outbound Investment Forum is dedicated to building a business platform for Chinese hospitality brands and tourism investors who are seeking to invest and develop overseas”
“We were very delighted to again host Danks and support many businesses from Africa and look forward to working together with Capital Horizon to bring more African projects for investment from China”, highlighted Qing.
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South Africa’s tourism minister, Patricia de Lille, had indicated a deliberate plan to champion significant efforts to attract more Chinese visitors, building momentum for China-Africa tourism collaboration. Following her November 2023 meeting with Jon Danks at the World Travel Market in London, de Lille has advocated initiatives like introducing e-Visas and establishing direct flights to South Africa from China.
These efforts promoted by de Lille are part of a broader strategy to make South Africa—and Africa at large—more accessible and appealing to Chinese tourists, as Chinese interest in African travel experiences continues to grow rapidly.
A report in China’s People Daily Online in September indicate that Africa is becoming a top travel destination for Chinese tourists due to its scenic landscapes, cultural richness, and unique experiences. Between February and August 2024, Chinese tourism to Africa saw a major upswing, with Ctrip, a major Chinese travel platform, reporting that flight bookings to African destinations nearly doubled compared to the previous year.
Notably, Egypt and Kenya led the emergent surge, with growth rates of 236% and 167%, respectively. Kenya Airways joined in these efforts, launching a campaign in September to attract more Chinese travellers and promote Kenyan tourism, as outlined by Kenya Airways’ Chief Commercial and Customer Officer, Julius Thairu.
The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has set forth plans for sustained tourism collaboration, with China and African countries committing to participate in each other’s major tourism exhibitions and hosting seminars on digital and destination marketing.
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These initiatives are expected to strengthen tourism, promote economic exchanges, and increase investment flows across Africa, creating a robust framework for China-Africa tourism growth.
In order to give interactive information check, a comprehensive catalogue of the investment portfolio of Capital Horizon African tourism is available at: www.Capital-Horizon.com