Airline, city team up to attract Kenyans

China Southern Airlines has committed to marketing Guangzhou, Guangdong province, as a preferred destination for tourists from Kenya, which is expected to increase the number of visitors from the East African country.

Wu Weijun, the airline's general manager, says that over the past three years, China Southern has contributed much to the growth of the Kenyan tourism sector and will encourage Kenyans to explore the attractions in the sprawling South China port city.

The airline's commitment follows the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement between China Southern and the Guangzhou Tourism Administration in July last year, The two sides agreed to focus on improving the standards and quality of hospitality and tourism facilities.

China Southern Airlines made its debut trip from Guangzhou, Guangdong province, to Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Aug 5, 2015. [Provided to China Daily]

"Guangzhou is a charming and magical city," says Wu. "It's also where our headquarters are."

According to Sospeter Mobe, sales manager at China Southern Airlines, Guangzhou is a cultural, commercial and culinary city and a famous tourist destination.

"It is the birthplace of the Maritime Silk Road, the origin of the Chinese revolution movement, the center of Lingnan culture and a major center of reform and opening-up," he says.

He says Guangzhou is where the old world meets the new, and where tradition meets urban growth. Tourists in the city enjoy Spring Festival flower markets, Lantern Festival, dragon boat races and handicraft competitions.

Other cultural traditions that draw tourists to Guangzhou are mountain climbing, winter solstice gatherings, Cantonese opera, herbal tea and Cantonese soup, says Mobe.

On May 29, China Southern organized a Guangzhou tourism promotion conference in Nairobi, Kenya, that was attended by the airline's strategic partners and travel agents.

During the conference, the airline reviewed the tourist attractions in Guangzhou and explained visa application procedures and requirements and the airline's operations and services.

In addition to being a tourist destination, Guangzhou is China's leading commercial and manufacturing region, with a history dating back more than 2,200 years.

After reform and opening-up began 40 years ago, Guangzhou's economy thrived, becoming the third-largest in China, after Beijing and Shanghai, in 1992. In 2016, Guangzhou's per capita GDP reached more than 145,000 yuan.

Since the launch of direct flights between Guangzhou and Nairobi, China Southern has flown around 120,000 passengers on the route.

"We are proud of building a flyover between Africa and China, and making Guangzhou a city not only attractive for tourism, but also for trade exhibitions and fairs," says Wu, the general manager.

Through China Southern Airlines' cooperation with Kenya Airways, passengers from most of the African countries can be connected first to Kenya and then to Guangzhou, he says.

"If Guangzhou is not your destination, you can also be transferred seamlessly to China's other cities and to other international destinations," he adds.

edithmutethya@chinadaily.com.cn