The 2026 Africa Convention and Exhibition Conference, hosted by the South African Tourism Board, will be held in Johannesburg from the 23rd to the 25th. Attendees expressed that the Chinese outbound tourism market contains enormous opportunities, and more and more African countries are attracting Chinese tourists through measures such as optimizing visa policies, strengthening infrastructure construction, and conducting precise market promotion. As an important business platform for promoting cooperation between African countries and the global market, this exhibition attracted government officials and association representatives from more than 20 African countries to participate. South African Tourism Minister Patricia Delile described the Chinese market as the "core engine" of South African tourism growth during an interview with Xinhua News Agency at the exhibition site. She introduced that South Africa has launched an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system for Chinese tourists, which can significantly shorten the visa processing cycle. The implementation of the electronic visa system is a key measure for South Africa to deeply cultivate the Chinese market. ”Delile said that in the past two years, she has been in close communication with the Chinese tourism department and plans to attract more Chinese tourists to South Africa by promoting facilitation policies in China and coordinating with airlines to increase direct flights. The deep cooperation between China and Africa in infrastructure and economic and trade fields is transforming into a strong driving force for the development of the tourism industry. Zambia's High Commissioner to South Africa, Grace Mutenbo, said, "Zambia has participated in various expos hosted by China multiple times to showcase its unique tourism resources, and the conference center built with Chinese assistance is becoming a new business card for Zambia to host international events and attract tourists." Gabon's High Commissioner to South Africa, Rod Lundengbia, emphasized the driving role of diplomatic ties in the tourism market. He said that Gabon has been continuously consolidating diplomatic and economic ties with China, and Gabon has implemented visa facilitation measures for Chinese citizens. Gabon is committed to optimizing transportation and accommodation facilities to provide Chinese tourists with a better travel experience. In the view of Renben Danbiya, the arrival of Chinese tourists not only promotes the improvement of local hotels and infrastructure, but also deepens the people to people and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Marta Gomes, President of the International Congress and Convention Association, believes that China's population size and economic stability are important opportunities for Africa's tourism industry. She suggested that African countries should further enhance the attractiveness of local tourism markets by improving the convenience of direct flights and showcasing cultural charm, in response to the preference of Chinese tourists for "group tours" and "cultural tourism". It is reported that more than 20 African countries have provided visa free or visa on arrival convenience measures for Chinese citizens. In addition to macro policy guidance, customized services for Chinese tourists are also constantly expanding. It has been learned that the South African tourism department has started to provide specialized Chinese language training for practitioners, aiming to eliminate communication barriers and enhance service "soft power". The attending representatives believe that with the successive introduction of "combination measures" such as visa facilitation and route guarantee, African countries look forward to sharing the dividends of China's outbound tourism market with more suitable policies and more professional services. (New Society)