RIYADH, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- South Africa will send about 250 tour operators to China in December to learn Mandarin and better understand the Chinese culture, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille said here Tuesday.
"China is certainly one of our biggest source markets," de Lille told Xinhua on the sidelines of the ongoing inaugural TOURISE forum, which will run until Thursday.
She highlighted South Africa's visa facilitation scheme that allows Chinese citizens to apply through approved tour operators, rather than visiting the embassy in person.
South Africa has conducted multiple promotional roadshows across Chinese provinces and maintains a daily flight to Beijing, de Lille noted.
The two countries have longstanding tourism cooperation, including initiatives encouraging Chinese tourists to celebrate the New Year in South Africa, she noted.
"We see tourism as central to our economic growth," she said, adding that "there are many similarities between China and South Africa that we share."
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