Mauritius stands ready to welcome Chinese guests, says tourism official

Photo taken on July 26, 2018 shows the Eden Garden Culture &Entertainment Square, located at the Jinfei Economic, Trade &Cooperation Zone (Jinfei Zone), 3.5 kilometers west of Port Louis, capital of Mauritius. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)

Mauritius, one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, expects to explore the Chinese market that has a huge potential for growth, said Arvind Bundhun, the director of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority.

PORT LOUIS, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Mauritius, one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, expects to explore the Chinese market that has a huge potential for growth, said Arvind Bundhun, the director of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority.

"The tourism industry in Mauritius has been the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a complete halt in tourism activities and arrivals, due to the closure of our borders," he said in a recent interview with Xinhua. In 2019, the island country in the Indian Ocean received about 1.4 million tourists. However, the figure dropped sharply in 2020 and 2021.

The Chinese tourist market is "vital" for Mauritius because of its "potential growth," Bundhun said, recalling that about 43,000 Chinese tourists visited the country four years ago.

China was the largest contributor to outbound tourism, with 170 million trips, bringing in 253 billion U.S. dollars for the global economy in 2019, according to a report by Forbes. But Chinese tourists' spending fell sharply after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

China relaxed travel restrictions earlier this year and resumed group tours to up to 60 countries. The May Day holiday, the first extended holiday that features a five-day break, will serve as a barometer of the recovery of Chinese outbound travel, analysts have said.

Bookings for overseas tours from the Chinese mainland increased by more than 18 times year-on-year, and the number of applications for overseas group tours in early May increased by 157 percent month-on-month, according to a May Day holiday travel forecast released in early April by Ctrip, a major Chinese travel service provider.

Mauritius is glad to receive Chinese tourists, Bundhun said.

Spectators watch a race aboard local canoes during the Mauritian Language and Culture Festival in Mahebourg, Mauritius, Dec. 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Ajai Daby)

Tourism is the third pillar of the country's economy, accounting for 8 percent of the nation's gross national product in 2022.

"We have proceeded with a gradual reopening of our borders from July 2021," Bundhun said, adding that the tourism sector is recovering and has reached the goal of receiving one million tourists in 2022.

"We aim to reach pre-pandemic figures this year in terms of tourist arrivals and continue to grow thereafter," the director said, noting that he believes the Chinese market will bring new hope for tourism recovery in Mauritius.

Marketing campaigns on social networks are underway to reach Chinese consumers and to re-engage with relevant partners, Bundhun said. "This year will see the Chinese market grow further."