Sabine Lanjock
TechInAfrica – The South African Department of Tourism and the Chinese technology company Tencent have signed a new strategic cooperation agreement.
Tencent – with a market capitalization of more than $400 billion – currently has popular chat platforms such as WeChat and Tencent QQ.
Therefore, the agreement will help South Africa to have direct access to millions of potential Chinese travellers to market the country as a destination of choice, the ministry said in a statement Tuesday (September 22).
“South Africa is open for business and offers diverse and world-class attractions, excellent transport services and communications infrastructure that rival the best in the world,” said Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.
“China is South Africa’s main trading partner and we are using these trade relations to strengthen trade between the peoples of the two countries. I am pleased that with Tencent, South African Tourism in China is laying a solid foundation for the growth of visitor arrivals from China to South Africa.
“This strategic cooperation agreement is one of many initiatives developed to increase the number of Chinese arrivals in South Africa,” said Kubayi-Ngubane.
“Tencent, through its popular platform, WeChat, will help us access multiple segments of the Chinese travel market. In addition to a customized market for each market segment, Tencent platforms will also enrich the experience of Chinese travellers when they travel to South Africa,” she added.
Mr. Kubayi-Ngubane said his partnership will last two years and aims to make South Africa a preferred tourist destination in China, through digital marketing campaigns on WeChat as well as other platforms in the Tencent ecosystem.
Source : businesstech.co.za/news/technology
