Europe's allure

"When I have a holiday, I choose to go to Europe," Guo says. "Everything feels slower-paced, and the environment makes me feel like in fairy tales."

In addition, Guo says, "I'm obsessed with European history and culture, which I can see from the buildings, in streets and in the friendliness of the people."

Moreover, travel to Europe is a good way to relax after the anxiety of exams, she says.

Guo says she chose Serbia for this summer's vacation because she didn't have much time to prepare for a visa, and Serbia now welcomes Chinese tourists without a visa, joining Bosnia and Herzegovina, San Marino, Montenegro, Russia, Albania and Ukraine in offering such conveniences as visa-free or conditional-visa policies.

"I usually visit European countries with a travel agency, as they can help me with visa application and route planning. I hope these procedures get easier in the near future, as I know the Belt and Road Initiative is boosting tourism to Europe," Guo says.

According to the academy's survey, Chinese tourists want more convenience in getting visas to European countries, saying that visa convenience is an important factor when considering travel destinations.

As of the beginning of the year, 27 countries worldwide offer visa-free entrance to Chinese, and 39 allow them to apply for visas upon arrival.

Dai Bin, the China Tourism Academy president, says he would like to see more Chinese-language signs in Europe, Chinese commentary systems at tourism sites and payment services such as UnionPay, Alipay and WeChat Wallet, as well as access via Wi-Fi to Chinese social networks.

"We hope that European tourism services can further meet the needs of Chinese tourists in the application of technology," he says.

Meanwhile, data also shows that China has become the largest source of inbound tourism for Thailand, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Russia, the Maldives, Indonesia, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and South Africa.

In addition, analysts and observers say Africa, which accounts for just a tiny portion of the world's international tourist arrivals, is gradually becoming a popular destination for Chinese tourists, thanks to the launch of direct flights and the relaxation of visa policies, among other incentives.

Lincoln Mali, Standard Bank Group's head of card and emerging payments, says African countries should work on strategies that will attract more Chinese tourists.

He says relaxed visa requirements and visa-on-arrival policies are already attracting Chinese tourists to Morocco, Tunisia, Tanzania and Egypt.

According to a recent study conducted by Travelzoo, a global media commerce company, the easing of visa requirements by Morocco and Tunisia saw rapid growth of tourism to the countries. In the six months following the announcement, Morocco recorded a 378 percent year-on-year growth, while Tunisia recorded 240 percent year-on-year growth.

The study predicts that Africa will secure its place as the fastest-growing popular destination among avid Chinese travelers this year. Since those in China's middle class are now seeking unforgettable experiences at their own pace when they travel, destinations that offer rich culture and nature are expected to draw more Chinese.

Mali says he believes that any country that fails to target the Chinese tourism market may end up missing out on a huge opportunity.

The potential for more Chinese traveling abroad is immense, he says, considering that only 7 percent of Chinese have a passport, compared with 40 percent of US citizens and 76 percent of Britons.

"The Chinese government is apparently issuing 10 million new travel documents every year. So as long as the Chinese economy continues to grow, in addition to the increasing number of the middle class, tourism opportunities will remain huge. This is an opportunity for African countries," Mali says.

He says cost is far less important than the experience for Chinese tourists when they consider travel and tourism destinations.

"Beach holidays top the activities of interest to Chinese travelers, followed by food and wine, then historical attractions. Generally, Chinese tourists are looking for beauty and uniqueness," he says.

Destinations need to understand the dynamism of the Chinese travel market, Mali says, adding that such things as translated menus will help make visitors feel welcome and open to trying new foods.

Liz Kyunguti, systems administrator at Albatros Travel, an international travel company, says Africa has not done enough to market its tourist attractions to China. She says African countries have concentrated more on traditional tourist markets such as Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia.

"Chinese tourists are less informed about African tourism products. They lack firsthand information about African destinations, so they will mostly rely on what they read in books or on websites or the limited reviews," Kyunguti says.

Mali says African countries should also adopt popular Chinese payment options like UnionPay, Alipay and Wechat Wallet, and they should use WeChat and Weibo when marketing their tourism products to the Chinese market. Reliable internet connections and Wi-Fi are also crucial for Chinese tourists, he says.

Tang Yuan Yuan, vice-president of Ivy Alliance Tourism Consulting, agrees that African countries can attract Chinese tourists through offering Weibo, WeChat and Alipay.

"WeChat has 768 million daily users, with 90 minutes average time spent per person per day, while Weibo has 400 million daily users," Tang said in April in Addis Ababa during the 59th meeting of the United Nations World Tourism Organization Commission for Africa and a high-level meeting on Chinese outbound tourism to Africa.

Mali says that for Africa to tap into the Chinese outbound tourism market, tour companies must increase the number of Mandarin-speaking guides, translate tour promotional materials and invest in promotional campaigns in China, as well as hold exhibitions, trade training and consumer seminars in China.

Kyunguti, of Albatros Travel, says that much of the information on African destinations available to Chinese tourists is "written in English, so they may not understand the information clearly because most of them are not conversant with the language".

Therefore, she says, for an African country to attract Chinese tourists, "they must first endeavor to break the language barrier. Invest in training guides and some critical services providers on Chinese Mandarin. This way, communication will be smooth, right from the booking time, receiving clients at the airport and hotels to taking them to tourists sites."

To fully satisfy Chinese tourists, it's also important to focus on service, food and dietary needs as well as internet access - requirements that may be difficult for many African countries to meet, Kyunguti says.

In addition to creating more awareness about the available tourist products in African destinations and using Mandarin in selling the sites, Kyunguti says African countries, specifically state agencies mandated with promoting tourism, should have a pricing strategy, from hotel services to wildlife viewing, and a focus on quality.

According to the World Bank, tourism in East and Southern Africa, particularly nature-based tourism, contributes significantly to GDP, jobs and livelihoods, and is one of the key foreign exchange earners for a number of African countries.

Charles Mudiwa, CEO of Stanbic Bank Kenya, a member of Standard Bank Group, says the number of Chinese tourists visiting Kenya is expected to increase by 12 percent, from 53,484 last year to 60,000 by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, the executive director of a restaurant in Nairobi that hosts many Chinese tourists for dinner, especially during peak tourism season from July to October, says Kenya's scenery and natural attractions, especially the wildebeest migration, have become a key draw for tourists.

"When Chinese tourists visit Kenya, they love the food, hotel services and weather, taking back home a positive impression about the country that is contrary to the perception they come in with," she says.

During the wildebeest migration, from mid-June through October, around 1.5 million wild animals, mainly zebras and several species of antelope, move from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

Contact the writers at yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn