South African Tourism held a special event in Beijing on July 18, 2025, aimed at attracting more Chinese travelers and strengthening travel ties between China and South Africa. Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille emphasized tourism as a “bridge builder” fostering economic growth, business opportunities, and people-to-people exchanges. She highlighted existing trade links, mentioning 40 South African companies in China and plans to export more products.
The minister also stated her goal was to listen to Chinese travelers’ needs to better tailor South Africa’s tourism offerings. Xing Chen, a Chinese travel trade operator, noted that under the Belt and Road Initiative, exchanges between China and African countries are growing, with travel playing a key role in cultural understanding.
Phindiwe Mbhele from South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs introduced the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS), a digital visa application platform designed to simplify and speed up visa processing for Chinese tourists.
With growing competition among African destinations for Chinese tourists, South Africa is focused on expanding its share of China’s outbound travel market.
Credit: CGTN
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