SOUTH Africa is looking to get a bigger share of the lucrative Chinese tourism market, and to build on recent increases in the number of visitors coming to South Africa from the global powerhouse.
China has moved from being South Africa’s ninth-largest tourism source market to the fourth-largest in 2013, after a year-on-year increase in tourist arrivals of more than 30%, says SA Tourism. Nearly 98-million Chinese tourists travelled abroad last year, making the country the "number one source market for the world" in terms of international travellers, according to United Nations World Tourism Organisation secretary-general, Taleb Rifai.
For those who came to South Africa, wildlife, Cape Town and shopping — particularly for diamonds — were high on their itineraries. "Currently, shopping is the most important thing," says Michael Jones, co-founder of AfricaCreate, a company that promotes African brands in China. "The Chinese spend more on shopping than on the travel package."
Mr Jones says some Chinese tourists will choose a cheaper travel package so they can spend more on shopping for luxury goods, such as diamonds, when in South Africa, as there are high taxes on these items back home.
"The Chinese believe that SA is the source of diamonds so they should be cheaper here. They are doing the same in Italy and London with, for example, Louis Vuitton bags. The Chinese have become the number one consumer of luxury goods around the world."
The average Chinese traveller will spend six to seven days in the country, because Chinese employees get little leave, says Gary Xing of China International Travel Agency.
Eight to 14 days’ leave is the norm in China, Bradley Brouwer, SA Tourism’s regional manager for Asia Pacific says.
Usually one day of a Chinese visitor’s holiday is allocated to Pretoria to see monuments and the Union Buildings.
Another day will be spent in Johannesburg and one day in Sun City, he says. The remainder of the time is spent in Cape Town, and some may also go to Victoria Falls or Namibia.
Mr Brouwer says Sun City continues to be a popular destination because of the casino and the "glitz and glamour" of the hotel.
Popular attractions in the Cape are its penguin colonies and Table Mountain, which is usually on every itinerary. The recently launched Walking in Mandela’s Footsteps tour is sold out until February next year in China, Mr Brouwer says.
Wine farms are also becoming a favourite among this clientele. Some wine farms offer a courier service, enabling Chinese visitors to order wine and send it home — something Mr Brouwer urges more wine farms to do.
The high-end Chinese traveller may also choose to go to a private game lodge and on helicopter tours, according to travel group Thompsons Africa.
However, the wealthy Chinese tourist is still only a small portion of the tourists coming to South Africa, according to Southern Africa Tourism Services Association CEO David Frost.
"Our trick with (the Chinese) market is to try to attract the top-end traveller, because there is actually a big segment of the Chinese market that is a low-value market," Mr Frost says.
"While they are important and have their place, what would be far more interesting is to get the millionaires, the top echelon of that market, because that’s where we have seen a lot of growth in the Indian market."
The Department of Tourism is looking to grow the number of tourists from China significantly, because even a small percentage of the market is substantial, director-general Kingsley Makhubela says.
In the period from January to October last year, 149,000 Chinese tourists came to the country, Mr Brouwer says. Figures for November and December are still to be released. He believes this number could grow to 200,000 this year.
But South Africa is competing against many other destinations and brands looking for a piece of the Chinese market, and companies operating in the sector and South African tourism marketing bodies "will have to be a lot more aggressive", says Mr Jones.
Provinces, cities and hotels should all be marketing in China, says Mr Jones.
Mr Brouwer says small efforts could help to attract more Chinese tourists by making them feel at home, such as hotels writing notices in Chinese, and South African businesses linking up with Chinese bank card Union Pay through the major South African banks.
He also urges banks to improve trade in the yuan, the Chinese currency.
In China, SA Tourism has a few strategies in place to appeal to this market.
Through its certified Fundi Programme, Chinese people and travel agencies are trained to become experts on South Africa as a tourism destination and then to "sell" the country to potential Chinese tourists.
SA Tourism holds media road shows, hosting Chinese journalists on countrywide tours.
It also organises annual trade shows to promote South Africa as a business travel destination, by helping to link South African and Chinese companies in various sectors, and 46 companies are already involved.
The plan is to replicate this model of trade show in Korea and Japan as well.
Mr Brouwer says marketing strategies, particularly to attract business tourism, need to be supported by direct return flights between South Africa and China.
"The more airlines are encouraged to fly, the better for us. No MICE numbers will grow without direct flights," he said, using the industry acronym for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions.
South African Airways will be raising the number of direct flights to Beijing from August, which will increase the number of Chinese people coming to South Africa by 1,200 people a month, because "definitely these flights will be fully booked".
However, Mr Jones says that more than airline connectivity, it is perceptions of safety and security that are hindering increased growth.
"Chinese people really believe SA is not safe. If we could shake off that image, the numbers could triple overnight," Mr Jones says, adding that all sectors of SA should be communicating with the Chinese to dilute the negative stories.
POPULAR: Diamonds, such as this one at a Jewel City Precinct shop in Johannesburg central business district, are the Chinese traveller’s best friends. Picture: SUNDAY TIMES
SOUTH Africa is looking to get a bigger share of the lucrative Chinese tourism market, and to build on recent increases in the number of visitors coming to South Africa from the global powerhouse.
China has moved from being South Africa’s ninth-largest tourism source market to the fourth-largest in 2013, after a year-on-year increase in tourist arrivals of more than 30%, says SA Tourism. Nearly 98-million Chinese tourists travelled abroad last year, making the country the "number one source market for the world" in terms of international travellers, according to United Nations World Tourism Organisation secretary-general, Taleb Rifai.
For those who came to South Africa, wildlife, Cape Town and shopping — particularly for diamonds — were high on their itineraries. "Currently, shopping is the most important thing," says Michael Jones, co-founder of AfricaCreate, a company that promotes African brands in China. "The Chinese spend more on shopping than on the travel package."
Mr Jones says some Chinese tourists will choose a cheaper travel package so they can spend more on shopping for luxury goods, such as diamonds, when in South Africa, as there are high taxes on these items back home.
"The Chinese believe that SA is the source of diamonds so they should be cheaper here. They are doing the same in Italy and London with, for example, Louis Vuitton bags. The Chinese have become the number one consumer of luxury goods around the world."
The average Chinese traveller will spend six to seven days in the country, because Chinese employees get little leave, says Gary Xing of China International Travel Agency.
Eight to 14 days’ leave is the norm in China, Bradley Brouwer, SA Tourism’s regional manager for Asia Pacific says.
Usually one day of a Chinese visitor’s holiday is allocated to Pretoria to see monuments and the Union Buildings.
Another day will be spent in Johannesburg and one day in Sun City, he says. The remainder of the time is spent in Cape Town, and some may also go to Victoria Falls or Namibia.
Mr Brouwer says Sun City continues to be a popular destination because of the casino and the "glitz and glamour" of the hotel.
Popular attractions in the Cape are its penguin colonies and Table Mountain, which is usually on every itinerary. The recently launched Walking in Mandela’s Footsteps tour is sold out until February next year in China, Mr Brouwer says.
Wine farms are also becoming a favourite among this clientele. Some wine farms offer a courier service, enabling Chinese visitors to order wine and send it home — something Mr Brouwer urges more wine farms to do.
The high-end Chinese traveller may also choose to go to a private game lodge and on helicopter tours, according to travel group Thompsons Africa.
However, the wealthy Chinese tourist is still only a small portion of the tourists coming to South Africa, according to Southern Africa Tourism Services Association CEO David Frost.
"Our trick with (the Chinese) market is to try to attract the top-end traveller, because there is actually a big segment of the Chinese market that is a low-value market," Mr Frost says.
"While they are important and have their place, what would be far more interesting is to get the millionaires, the top echelon of that market, because that’s where we have seen a lot of growth in the Indian market."
The Department of Tourism is looking to grow the number of tourists from China significantly, because even a small percentage of the market is substantial, director-general Kingsley Makhubela says.
In the period from January to October last year, 149,000 Chinese tourists came to the country, Mr Brouwer says. Figures for November and December are still to be released. He believes this number could grow to 200,000 this year.
But South Africa is competing against many other destinations and brands looking for a piece of the Chinese market, and companies operating in the sector and South African tourism marketing bodies "will have to be a lot more aggressive", says Mr Jones.
Provinces, cities and hotels should all be marketing in China, says Mr Jones.
Mr Brouwer says small efforts could help to attract more Chinese tourists by making them feel at home, such as hotels writing notices in Chinese, and South African businesses linking up with Chinese bank card Union Pay through the major South African banks.
He also urges banks to improve trade in the yuan, the Chinese currency.
In China, SA Tourism has a few strategies in place to appeal to this market.
Through its certified Fundi Programme, Chinese people and travel agencies are trained to become experts on South Africa as a tourism destination and then to "sell" the country to potential Chinese tourists.
SA Tourism holds media road shows, hosting Chinese journalists on countrywide tours.
It also organises annual trade shows to promote South Africa as a business travel destination, by helping to link South African and Chinese companies in various sectors, and 46 companies are already involved.
The plan is to replicate this model of trade show in Korea and Japan as well.
Mr Brouwer says marketing strategies, particularly to attract business tourism, need to be supported by direct return flights between South Africa and China.
"The more airlines are encouraged to fly, the better for us. No MICE numbers will grow without direct flights," he said, using the industry acronym for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions.
South African Airways will be raising the number of direct flights to Beijing from August, which will increase the number of Chinese people coming to South Africa by 1,200 people a month, because "definitely these flights will be fully booked".
However, Mr Jones says that more than airline connectivity, it is perceptions of safety and security that are hindering increased growth.
"Chinese people really believe SA is not safe. If we could shake off that image, the numbers could triple overnight," Mr Jones says, adding that all sectors of SA should be communicating with the Chinese to dilute the negative stories.
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