JINHUA, China, Nov. 15, 2024 — The 2024 Conference on China-Africa Cultural and Tourism Cooperation & Exchange was held in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, on November 8.
The conference, aimed at fostering people-to-people exchanges through the cultural Silk Road to promote shared progress between China and Africa, was jointly organized by the international exchange and cooperation department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the China Tourism Academy, and the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism. Co-hosted by the Jinhua Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism and the Africa Research Institute of Zhejiang Normal University, the event received support from the World Tourism Alliance.
Over 240 representatives from various African countries and regions, including ambassadors and diplomats, representatives from the African Union, officials from relevant Chinese government departments and institutions, as well as experts and business representatives from both China and Africa, came together to discuss and promote concrete and fruitful cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation between the two sides.
According to Xu Peng, vice chairman of the World Tourism Alliance, there is significant potential for cooperation between China and Africa in the fields of culture and tourism.
He stated that China is eager to expand and deepen cultural and tourism cooperation with countries across Africa to promote diversification of tourism products, improve service quality, and standardize the market, ultimately offering tourists a more convenient, comfortable, and safe travel experience.
Li Xinfang, deputy director of the Zhejiang provincial department of culture, radio, television and tourism, remarked that cultural and tourism exchanges between China and Africa have entered a new phase of mutually proactive development. He highlighted several examples of cultural and tourism exchanges between Zhejiang and African countries, including Zhejiang’s African tour during the Spring Festival, Zhejiang youth exchange activities with African counterparts, the Jiangnan aesthetic lifestyle exhibition, and the African woodcarving art exhibition.
Li added that the conference would facilitate in-depth communication and mutual learning between China and Africa, strengthening cooperation and leading to cross-border promotion of cultural and tourism resources, as well as the mutual understanding, appreciation, and integration of Chinese and African civilizations.
The symposium also drew participation from tourism department officials from several African countries, including Tanzania, Djibouti, and Seychelles.
Emphasizing that true friends share the same path, they stated that despite the distance between China and Africa, the two sides are closely connected.
The tourism industry’s development serves as a crucial driver for Africa’s economic growth and regional integration, while China’s experiences and practices in promoting the integration of culture and tourism are valuable lessons for Africa, according to them.
They expressed hope that the symposium will serve as an opportunity to continue strengthening dialogue and jointly promote the cultural Silk Road initiative between the two sides, contribute to the ten major cooperation programs, and continue to write a new chapter of friendship and understanding between the people of China and Africa.
During the conference, representatives from China and Africa engaged in high-level dialogue on topics such as leveraging tourism and technology to promote cultural heritage, and the exchange between Chinese Jiangnan culture and African Swahili culture.
Source: Jinhua Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism
CONTACT: Contact person: Ms. Wang, Tel: 86-10-63074558
